Charles Onunaiju / Translated by Deng Yanting: Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is China's Fundamental Guide

The Communist Party of China (CPC) successfully led China—the world's most populous nation—to break free from the oppression of colonialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat-monopoly capitalism in the 20th century, establishing a socialist system and making outstanding contributions to the liberation of people worldwide, particularly those in the vast number of developing countries. As reform and opening up advanced in depth, the CPC led the Chinese people in achieving a second great leap: China moved from being relatively slow and backward in economic development to becoming the world's second-largest economy. Furthermore, it became the first developing country to launch a decisive battle against absolute poverty and emerge victorious, creating a global miracle of development.

While praising these glorious achievements in governance, it is also necessary to recognize that after entering the 21st century—and especially after the start of its second decade—the internal conditions of the CPC, the national conditions of China, and the global situation underwent changes. This presented the CPC with entirely new standards and requirements for governance. Only by liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and proceeding from China’s actual conditions to find ideas for reform in governance can the Chinese people continue to write the legend of Chinese development in world history.

The 18th CPC National Congress, held in 2012, was a milestone event of epoch-making significance. At this congress, the CPC systematically took stock of the practical challenges it faced while simultaneously making systematic plans for the blueprint of governance in the next stage. In essence, it represented a new departure for the CPC in the second decade of the 21st century. Since the 18th National Congress, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the CPC has achieved world-renowned results in several areas, including promoting the rectification of Party conduct and discipline, leading the Chinese people to achieve high-quality development in the economy and society, and promoting the democratization of international relations. This has further highlighted the significance of the CPC’s scientific and democratic governance for Chinese-path modernization as well as for world peace and development. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, formed during this process, reflects the CPC’s leadership of the entire Chinese people in exploring the modernization of the domestic governance system and capacity while actively participating in the practice of global governance. It serves as the fundamental compliance for China to deepen its governance reforms. Because of this, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was established as the guiding ideology for the entire Party at the 19th CPC National Congress, becoming the latest guide for the CPC’s governance of the country.

The CPC’s in-depth promotion of the rectification of Party conduct and discipline is a necessary prerequisite for China to advance governance reforms in the New Era. Countless cases in the history of human development have shown that any person or political party that rests on its historical laurels and remains stuck in its ways will eventually be abandoned by the times. The reason some African political parties that led their people to victory in the struggle against imperialism and colonialism lost their ruling status is that their ideology or organization degenerated, leading them to be abandoned by the reality of Africa's transformation and development after the Cold War. As the leading core of China’s modernization, the corruption or "privilege mentality" ^[1] that emerged among a very small number of personnel within the CPC must be eliminated in a timely manner to enhance the Party’s credibility across all sectors of Chinese society. After the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping vigorously promoted comprehensively and strictly governing the Party, scientifically answering the challenge through the method of the Party’s self-revolution. As several individuals who violated discipline and law were cleared from the leadership ranks, the building of Party organizations at all levels has been continuously strengthened. The CPC has demonstrated to the world its courage to face problems, its determination to solve them, and its wisdom to reflect on them, continuously solidifying the foundation for leading the Chinese people forward. Internal changes within the CPC have achieved a timely and effective match between the ruling party’s governance capacity and system and the objective needs of China’s development, clearing key obstacles for development in other fields.

The sustainable and inclusive development of China’s economy and society demonstrates the strong resilience of China’s economic and social reforms in the New Era. Breaking free from the shackles of absolute poverty is not only a common challenge faced by the vast number of developing countries but also an important development vision set by the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Although many developing countries, including some in Africa, can maintain relatively stable economic growth rates, there is a serious disconnect between growth and development, and their ability to resist risks is weak. This highlights the necessity of achieving sustainable and inclusive development. After the 18th CPC National Congress, transforming high-speed economic growth into high-quality growth became the most prominent feature of China’s economic development. Under this new development model, economic growth is combined with numerous fields such as the improvement of people’s livelihoods, ecological and environmental protection, social equity and justice, and coordinated regional development, laying the necessary foundation for achieving comprehensive development on a broader dimension. The inclusiveness of development allows every individual, group, and region to truly become a witness, participant, and beneficiary of socio-economic progress, allowing the blueprint for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects ^[2] to finally become a reality. The sustainability of development has enhanced China’s ability to resist and manage internal and external risks; neither the unilateralist actions of some Western countries nor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been able to stop the steady pace of China’s socio-economic development. China's development achievements will inject vitality into the recovery of the world economy in the post-pandemic era and further consolidate the foundation for humanity’s pursuit of peace and development.

By using win-win cooperation as the foothold for promoting reform in global governance, China has demonstrated the image and responsibility of a major power in a changing world. Currently, Western powers are wielding the big sticks of unilateralism and protectionism in pursuit of geopolitical interests. Factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, terrorism, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict have brought many uncertainties to the direction of the global situation. Certain aspects of the traditional global governance system have become increasingly unfriendly toward the vast number of developing countries. Facing today’s world at a crossroads, General Secretary Xi Jinping not only accurately summarized the global situation as "changes unseen in a century" ^[3] but also proposed global governance solutions mainly composed of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, drawing a grand blueprint for building a community with a shared future for humanity. Unlike the thinking of some Western countries that emphasizes competition, confrontation, and zero-sum games, the solutions proposed by China are characterized by equality, cooperation, and win-win results. This is an extension and development of the traits of benevolence and peace-loving found in traditional Chinese culture within international affairs. China's contributions have been welcomed and supported by the vast number of developing countries, including those in Africa, highlighting the positive significance of Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions for promoting South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue.