Xi Focus-Profile: Xi Jinping, man of culture

NEW PATH OF CIVILIZATION

A US-based research institute observed that Xi is no longer considered merely an inheritor or protector of a great civilization but the creator of one, too.

China's cultural traditions and national conditions determine that Chinese modernization, a new form of human civilization led by Xi, will take a path distinct from the West.

Covering nearly 20 percent of the world's population, it aims to reduce the wealth gap, achieve harmony between material and spiritual aspects, pursue development without sacrificing the environment, and never seek expansion or dominance abroad.

In his youth, Xi read "One-Dimensional Man" by Herbert Marcuse. Seeing the drawbacks of a "one-dimensional" human existence caused by the encroachment of capital in Western modernization, Xi has always hoped to address the imbalances between material and spiritual needs, and between humans and nature. China is committed to the coordinated development of material, political, spiritual, social, and ecological civilizations. Xi refers to this as the distinctive characteristic of the "modern civilization of the Chinese nation."

Xi metaphorically describes the uniqueness of Chinese modernization using physics terminology: Developed Western countries followed a "series" development process. China, seeking to recover the "lost 200 years," must take a development path comparable to a "parallel" process involving the simultaneous development of industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization.

He designated Shenzhen as the Pilot Demonstration Area of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. Adjacent to Hong Kong, Shenzhen is a special economic zone established over 40 years ago by Deng Xiaoping. Often referred to as the "city of innovation," Shenzhen, with a population twice that of New York City, offers a glimpse into the future of China's modernization.

Upon arrival in the city, visitors are greeted at the airport by a welcoming quote from Jules Verne: "Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real." Another prominent slogan stands tall in the city's landmark area, Shekou, proclaiming the traditional Chinese wisdom, "Empty talk will do nothing for our country; only solid work will make it flourish."

From electric cars to cutting-edge drones, from low-carbon initiatives to smart-city projects, the city continues to nurture innovation. Parks and libraries can be found every few hundred meters. With a convenient public service system, various social organizations, and a people-serving and business-friendly official team, Shenzhen is a model of the future.

Far north, the Xiong'an New Area near Beijing is a new city of socialist modernization planned by Xi. In May last year, Xi visited this "city of the future" under construction, paying particular attention to the ecological conditions of Baiyangdian Lake. Highlighting water source conservation and green development, its construction embodies the ancient ecological wisdom of "using what nature has to offer and taking it in moderation."

Xi designated Zhejiang as a demonstration area of common prosperity. During his visit to Lizu Village last year, he witnessed the transformation of this once dirty, chaotic, and impoverished village into a clean and beautiful demonstration village of common prosperity. The villagers' income has exceeded the national rural average, and the village is renowned for its rich cultural atmosphere. Xi has engaged in discussions with young entrepreneurs who returned from cities across the country and expressed satisfaction with the part they have played in rural development.

The new type of modern socialist country led by Xi has effectively debunked the linear historical view that all nations should converge toward a Western model.