By H.E. Zhang Yiming, Chinese Ambassador to Namibia.
Windhoek, Nov 22- – The high-profile sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was successfully held in Beijing from 8 to 11 November 2021. This meeting reviewed the Party’s major achievements and historical experience over the past century, and adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century (hereinafter referred to as The Resolution) and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
This meeting was held at a historic moment when CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and move on toward the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. This is important in both practical and historical sense to help build a broader consensus and stronger confidence among the Party members and rally and lead Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Therefore, this meeting is regarded as a milestone in the history of CPC.
The CPC is a Marxist governing party that sets great store by and excels at summarizing historical experience. Chinese people believe that the past lessons may light the road ahead. This session revisited the Party’s endeavors over the past century in order to see clearly why the Party has been successful in the past and how it can continue to succeed in the future. The Resolution adopted in this session is the third document of its kind in the Party’s history, in which the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, hence the extraordinary significance of this meeting.
Looking back at the past 100 years, the CPC has led the Chinese people to have achieved the great victory of the new democratic revolution, socialist revolution and construction as well as the reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. In particular since 2012 when the Party’s 18th National Congress was held, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, mastering the strategic situation of both China’s great national rejuvenation and the once-in-a-century changes taking place in the world, has taken initiative to have resolved long overdue problems and difficulties, and therefore write down the most magnificent chapter in the Chinese nation’s history of several thousand years. All Chinese people are feeling inspired and proud for this.
The Resolution summarized the historical experiences of the CPC’s success over the past century as 10 points namely: upholding the Party’s leadership, putting the people first, advancing theoretical innovation, staying independent, following the Chinese path, maintaining a global vision, breaking new ground, standing up for ourselves, promoting the united front, and remaining committed to self-reform. The 10 points are integrated into a complete and interlocking system, which brings to light the fundamental keys to the successes of the Party, the very reason why the Party has seized the historical initiative, and the fundamental ways for the Party to preserve its advanced nature and integrity and be a forerunner of the times. These experiences are precious spiritual asset of the Party and provides sound guidance for the Party in leading China into the future.
It is not hard to see from the CPC’s century-long history that this is a Party that not only pursues happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also dedicates itself to human progress and world harmony. Facing the complicated and volatile international situation, China holds high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, safeguards the international system centered on the UN, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and played an active role in fields such as climate change, poverty reduction, counter-terrorism, cyber security, and regional security, etc. i.e. the true multilateralism.
The concept of a human community with a shared future proposed by President Xi Jinping, which is deeply rooted in the profound Chinese culture and demonstrates CPC’s deliberation on the future of the world, has received extensive recognition and support from the international community, and thus becomes a banner spearheading trends of the times and humankind’s progress.
China and Namibia, CPC and SWAPO enjoy solid traditional friendship. Standing at a new starting point, China would like to hold hands with Namibia to carry forward our traditional friendship and realize common prosperity. I would like to highlight several points in this regard.
First, it is necessary for the two countries to further enhance high-level communication, party-to-party exchanges including experience sharing on governance in a bid to reinforce strategic mutual trust.
Second, advance our pragmatic cooperation under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), particularly cooperation on poverty alleviation, youth empowerment, industrial upgrading, and digital economy.
Third, combat the COVID-19 pandemic together. We need not only mobilize more vaccines and anti-pandemic materials for Namibia, but also consider the post-pandemic era cooperation in health and medicine.
Fourth, strengthen coordination in multilateral affairs through jointly promoting multi-lateralism. Recently, President Xi Jinping announced at the UN General Assembly that China will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad, and that China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. From Kunming to Glasgow, from the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), China has undertaken its due responsibility as a major country to actively participate in global ecological protection and climate governance. China and Namibia have common interests and goals on issues of climate change and the conservation of biological diversity, therefore it is imperative for the two sides to further tap the potential of cooperation with the aim of safeguarding the justified rights of developing countries.
China is ready to work with Namibia to build a new type of international relations as well as a human community with a shared future, and through which to inject more positive energy into the progress of human society.
mrobert@namibiadailynews.info
