Comments on the 20th National Congress of the CPC

The 20th Congress of the Communist Party held the last week, attracted the world’s attention as an important trendsetter event for China and the rest of the world. As usual, the five-year report, consisting of 15 parts, and presented by the General Secretary of the party was one of the key agendas.

The report while highlighting the past achievements indicated that though there may be variations, given the past experiences and the changes which are occurring in the political, economic, and strategic environment, the overall direction will continue to be the same. Thus, for addressing the issues of “unbalanced and inadequate” growth people-centered development philosophy will be applied. In this regard, achieving common prosperity and harmony between humankind and nature, and peaceful development will be the goal with the modernization of industry, rural revitalization, urbanization, and innovation-driven development as the key priorities.

While exercising Law-Based Governance on all Fronts was stressed for China, it was also underlined in relation to global governance and international relations. Therefore, “safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter” were some of the key messages conveyed by XI in his speech.  He also stated greater democracy in international relations and making ‘global governance fairer and more equitable as the driving paradigm.

Xi also highlighted in his speech that “China stands firmly against all forms of hegemonism and power politics, the Cold War mentality, interference in other countries’ internal affairs, and double standards”. Instead, he asserted “China is committed to promoting a new type of international relations, and positive interaction with other major countries to build major deepening and expanding global partnerships based on equality, openness, and cooperation, and broadening the convergence of interests with other countries”, a paradigm that is so desperately needed to improve the global governance and relations between the countries.

The development model of building a human community based on a shared destiny has been one of the most significant themes that Beijing has pursued long. The same will now be put into action under the recently announced ‘Global Development Initiative’ and the ‘Global Security Initiative’ along with a greater emphasis on green development and pollution control.

As a concerned global citizen, one wishes that the Chinese leadership will be able to successfully drive things under an alternative governance paradigm, both within and without.

----Khalid Rahman, Non-resident Senior Fellow at RCAS, China, as well as the Chairman&Professor of the Institute of Policy Studies(IPS) in Islambad, Pakistan. 

We like to offer congratulations to the 20th national congress of the CPC and President Xi Jinping for winning the confidence of party and people to perform duties for another glorious term. This congress meeting was held during a very turbulent time in world history. We witness war in Europe, heightened tensions, economic recession and extreme weather events. The world expects China to play a key role in mitigating these challenges as an emerging great power. China’s peaceful rise and achieving second centenary goals are critically important to the whole world. We wish success to China and brighter future for humanity. Long live great, glorious and correct CPC!

----Jayanath Colombage is Non-resident Senior Fellow at RCAS, China, and former Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy and former Secretary to the Foreign Ministry(August 2020 to May 2022).

Xi Jinping’s report at the 20th CPC is well reflective of the ideation of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It succinctly presents a socio-symbiotic association between leadership goals and people’s aspirations in all spheres including economic and strategic. The essence, in fact, has been to safeguard the interests of the Chinese people and improve social security. It rightly mentions about the decadal achievements like eradication of extreme poverty, and building a moderately prosperous society. Moreover, impetus on science, technology and innovation, and a focus on developing sustainable ecosystems clearly depicts a vision that carries full domestic acceptance and a high global appeal.   

----Faisal Ahmed is Non-resident Senior Fellow at RCAS, China, as well as Professor in the International Business Area teaching Trade and Geopolitics at FORE School of Management, New Delhi, India. 

On behalf of China’s Communist Party 19th Central Committee, Xi Jinping, while presenting the report to the 20th National Congress, said that comprehensive people’s democracy in China is an essential feature of socialist democratic politics which is the most comprehensive, practical and effective democracy. Chinese democracy differs from the ballot-based democracies of the ‘people’s electorate’ in the West. Democracy in China is reflected in ‘people’s determination where all the powers of the state are vested in the people and the People’s Congress system is the basic institutional guarantee of ownership of the country given to the people. China’s democracy is a reflection of ‘people’s freedom’. In China, ‘democracy’ is used to solve people’s problems and protect people’s interests.

----Sujit Kumar Datta is Non-resident Fellow at RCAS, China, as well as the Chairman and Associate Professor in the International Relations Department at the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh.

RCAS Report-Comments on the 20th National Congress of the CPC.pdf