Understanding China's path in the next 5 years

BEIJING -- The eyes of the world will turn to China as the Communist Party of China (CPC) will hold its 19th national congress, at which the CPC will unveil new leadership and set a blueprint for national development for the next five years and beyond.

Analysts said that comprehensive, strategic and foresighted guidelines are expected to be raised at the congress. China is aiming for a "moderately prosperous society" and a modern socialist country while moving toward the world's center stage.

The congress comes at a critical time for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, under which China has witnessed an economic miracle and accomplished even impossible missions.

SOCIALISM WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS

When many Western countries continue to stagnate, China has grown and remained stable. This is due to the strong leadership of the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics, which is markedly different from the Western system, in which multiple parties hold office in turn, often bickering on their way to power.

"Since the 12th CPC National Congress in 1982, the CPC has always held high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is what the Party has learned over the past four decades," said Xin Ming, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

China has become the world's second-largest economy after decades of rapid economic growth. China's GDP expanded by an average annual rate of 7.2 percent during 2013-2016, compared with 2.6-percent average global growth and the 4-percent growth of developing economies.

Chen Shuguang, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, said that one of the major advantages of the Chinese political system is its ability to formulate long-term development plans and implement them in an effective manner.

The CPC has maintained consistency in its commitment and policy-making while adapting to changing domestic and international conditions, Chen said.

The International Monetary Fund raised Tuesday its forecast for China's economic growth to 6.8 percent this year, reflecting the country's stronger-than-expected economic performance and its efforts in deepening economic reform.

Under current circumstances, the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics entails pushing forward the "Four Comprehensives" as socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new development stage, said Xin.

The "Four Comprehensives" refers to a four-pronged strategy to create a moderately prosperous society in all respects, deepen reform, advance rule of law and strengthen Party governance.

China's great achievements in socialism with Chinese characteristics do not only mean that socialism has gained strong vitality in China, but has also expanded the pathway to modernization for developing countries around the world, said President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

TWO CENTENARY GOALS

Completing the building of a moderately prosperous society by 2020 is a promise the CPC has made to the people.

Improvement of people's livelihood has always been high on the agenda of the central authorities. The per-capita disposable income of all residents rose from 7,311 yuan (about 1,111 U.S. dollars) in 2012 to 23,821 yuan in 2016, an annual increase of 7.4 percent. The figure for the first half of 2017 rose 7.3 percent year on year.

China has lifted 700 million people out of poverty in the past 30 years. In the coming three years, another 40 million will be added to the list, meaning 20 people are lifted out of poverty each minute.

The central authorities have said that not a single family living in poverty will be left behind on the path to combating poverty.

After a moderately prosperous society is achieved by 2020, the whole Party and people of various ethnic groups nationwide will be motivated to build a modernized socialist country by 2049, the centenary of the People's Republic of China.

"It is harder to achieve the second centenary goal than the first, as no country has ever realized modernization at the primary stage of socialism," Xin said, adding that China is confident and capable of achieving the goal.

STRICT PARTY GOVERNANCE

Since its 18th national congress in 2012, the CPC has shown it is serious about strict Party governance and tackling corruption. Experts said the CPC will continue its anti-corruption drive with more weight on prevention and education.

"For the next five years to come, the CPC will continue its efforts in anti-corruption while attaching equal or more importance to preventing the emergence of corruption," Xin said, adding that a sound political ecology will be cultivated and more attention will be given to ideological education.

In December 2012, the central authorities issued the "eight-point rules," requiring government officials to strictly practice frugality and clean up undesirable work styles such as formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance. Practices such as the use of public funds to buy gifts, hold banquets and pay for holidays have since been strictly banned.

Now, the anti-graft drive has gained crushing momentum. Since 2012, the Party has investigated more than 280 senior officials, including Zhou Yongkang, Bo Xilai, Guo Boxiong, Xu Caihou, Sun Zhengcai and Ling Jihua.

The strict governance of the Party will always be an ongoing process, Xi said, stressing that the future of a political party or a regime is ultimately determined by whether the people are for or against it.

DIPLOMACY HIGHLIGHTING WIN-WIN COOPERATION

China will continue to actively participate in global governance reform and contribute Chinese wisdom to the world.

Xi has proposed forging a community of shared destiny for mankind, as well as establishing a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation at the core.

The vision of building a community of shared future for humanity holds that all countries, big or small, are equal in terms of their right to development and political status, making a more harmonious and equal world possible.

This proposal, together with China's Belt and Road Initiative, was incorporated into UN Security Council resolutions.

This vision, derived from traditional Chinese culture, presents Chinese wisdom for the world, Xin said.

China's average contribution to world growth in 2013-2016 was about 30 percent, the largest among all countries and higher than the total contribution from the United States, the eurozone and Japan.

Currently, as anti-globalization rears its head and some Western political systems suffer setbacks, China is sure to play its due role in promoting trade liberalization and economic globalization, as well as advancing global governance and multilateralism.