2022-11-03 01:52
On November 1, Ambassador Chen Mingjian gave an exclusive interview to Channel Ten, on the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China-Africa relations, inter-party exchanges between China and Tanzania. The transcript of the interview is as follows:
1.We have learned that President Xi’s report at the 20th CPC National Congress among other things have highlighted the following commitments; Putting the people first, Maintain self-confidence and stand on the own feet, Uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, Adopt a problem-oriented approach, Apply systems thinking, and Maintain a global vision. Focusing on Putting the People First, Y.E. Madam Ambassador what is really mean?
People-centeredness is an essential attribute of Marxism. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has stated, “it is people that create history, and define the future and destiny of the party and the country”. The “people-centered” philosophy, as the core value of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, is the basic guide on governance of the Communist Party of China (or CPC), and the fundamental position that the CPC has always adhered to. Practicing the “people-centered” development concept, are the ingredients and source that we can advance all our undertakings.
Adhering to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC won the largest battle against poverty in human history. Almost 100 million poor rural residents have been lifted out of poverty, and have, once and for all, resolved the problem of absolute poverty in China, making significant contributions to the cause of global poverty reduction. China’s life expectancy has reached 78.2 years, its per capita disposable annual income has risen from 16,500 yuan to 35,100 yuan. We have built the largest education, social security, and healthcare systems in the world. These achievements have allowed us to make historic strides in making education universally available. We have made further progress in achieving common prosperity for all.
On the new journey ahead, the CPC will always stay true to our fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, and implement the people-centered philosophy of development. We will continue to meet the people’s aspirations for a better life against the background of the continuous improvement of our national strength.
2.But also, President Xi introduced the New Concept namely ‘Chinese Path to Modernization’ under the leadership of the Communist Party so as to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Y.E. help us understand this ideology?
The Chinese Path to Modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context. There are five features:
One, It is the modernization of a huge population. China is working to achieve modernization for more than 1.4 billion people, a number larger than the combined population of all developed countries in the world today. This is a task of unparalleled difficulty and complexity, and a task of unparalleled significance and impact on the world.
Two, It is the modernization of common prosperity for all. Achieving common prosperity is a defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Communist Party of China will endeavor to bring prosperity to all Chinese, enable them to participate in modernization and benefit from the gains of modernization.
Three, It is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement. The modernization we are promoting and pursuing is not of material abundance yet cultural-ethical impoverishment. We will promote material abundance and develop advanced socialist culture for people’s well-being and their well-rounded development.
Four, It is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. In the past decade, we have protected nature and the environment as we have done our own lives, contributing to one fourth of the world’s newly increased forestry area. We will continue to act on the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and be unswervingly committed to sustainable development.
Five, It is the modernization of peaceful development. In pursuing modernization, China will not tread the old path of war, colonization, and plunder taken by some countries, and has codified peaceful development into China’s Constitution. China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansionism. China will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress. Dedicated to peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, we will strive to safeguard world peace and development as we pursue our own development, and we will make greater contributions to world peace and development through our own development.
The successful practice of Chinese modernization indicates that modernization is not a patent owned by the Western countries, and each country can independently blaze the path of modernization suited to its own national conditions. The Chinese Path to Modernization has created a new form of human advancement, expanded the ways for developing countries to move toward modernization, and provided Chinese solutions for countries around the world to explore a better social system.
3.Under the CPC leadership, China’s current foreign policy has resulted into more positive outcomes within and out of the Country helping to balance the multinational opinion and working together with the international world in different social-economic and political affairs, what is your opinion if we say China-Africa relations have grown firmly especially during the last decade?
In the past 66 years since the start of China-Africa diplomatic relations, the two sides have forged an unbreakable brotherhood in the anti-imperialist and anti-colonial struggle, and embarked on cooperation of development and rejuvenation, and set a great example for building a new type of international relations. Especially in the past 10 years, China-Africa relations have developed rapidly and made eye-catching achievements. After assuming the presidency in March 2013, President Xi Jinping visited Africa on his first foreign trip. Since then, he has visited here four times so far. At the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, President Xi Jinping met there with more than 50 African leaders respectively. They renewed and deepened warm friendship, discussed on further cooperation, and increased mutual trust. After the outbreak of Covid-19, President Xi Jinping promoted in person China-Africa cooperation and solidarity in epidemic response. Leaders of the two sides have maintained close and warm high-level exchanges through video and phone calls.
An African proverb says, “Bidi huzaa matunda”. Since 2009, China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. In 2021, China-Africa trade volume reached US$254.289 billion, with a year-on-year increase of 35.3%, setting a new record for bilateral trade. After the outbreak of Covid-19, China and Africa have united in fighting against it. China has provided 189 million doses of vaccines to 27 African countries, while the localized vaccines that we’ve jointly produced in Africa have an annual production capacity of 400 million doses, which is highly appreciated by African countries.
China and Africa have always been in a community with a shared future. Guided by the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith and with a commitment to the greater good and shared interests, China will continue to strengthen collaboration with Africa, and constantly write a magnificent chapter to promote high-quality development of China-Africa cooperation.
4.We began to agree that Chama Cha Mapinduzi the Communist Party of China have together attained remarkable achievements in decades. What would be your opinion to this statement Y.E.? As we celebrate the achievements.
Over the past few decades, the two parties have always been close friends alongside each other. They are good brothers and comrades who have shared weal and woe. With the increasingly frequent and deepening party-to-party exchanges, relations between the two parties have become an important force leading the relations between the two countries.
First, there have been close high-level exchanges between the two parties. A few days ago, President Hassan, as Chairperson of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), immediately congratulated Xi Jinping on his successful re-election as General Secretary of the 20th CPC Central Committee. In the congratulatory letter and via Twitter, President Hassan extended her warm congratulations. In February this year, when the CCM held a celebration to commemorate its 45th anniversary, the CPC Central Committee sent a letter of congratulations as well. Second, exchanges on governance continued to deepen. In February this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter for the inauguration ceremony of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Tanzania, which had been a joint effort of six liberation movement parties in southern Africa. In May, the school held a seminar for middle-aged and young cadres of the six parties in Southern Africa. In his letter of reply to the participants of the seminar, General Secretary Xi Jinping encouraged these Party members to be the pioneers to drive the progress of the times and be the pillars of national rejuvenation. He urged them to get fully committed to the cause of China-Africa friendship, inherit and carry forward the spirit of China-Africa friendly cooperation, and contribute to the construction of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. The 12th National Congress of the CCM will be held later this year, and it is believed that under the leadership of Chairperson Hassan, this grand meeting will be a complete success.
5.Since its the first time having us with you here, allow me to congratulate and welcome you once again, … and since Tanzania its your first appointment as the ambassador, what was your impression before you came, and how is it now as we have observed you engaging in a many bilateral activities recently?
Thanks so much for your congratulations. When I was a child, I read about Tanzania in textbooks. Since then, I’ve always longed for this beautiful country.
I am honored and privileged to serve as ambassador to Tanzania. With a heavy responsibility, I feel committed to contributing to the friendship between China and Tanzania. Over the past year, I met with President Samia Suluhu Hassan, and other Tanzanian leaders and ministers, and talked with Tanzanian mainstream media and think tank scholars. I traveled extensively and visited Dodoma, Pwani, Zanzibar, Mbeya, Iringa and other regions, and witnessed the completion and handover of such major projects as Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School, the Second Phase of National Defence College, Kagera Vocational Training and Service Centre. I coordinated the donation of 5.61 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Tanzania, and the funding on Tanzanian education, culture, sports, and etc. Through my participation in various activities, I felt deeply that President Hassan and the Tanzanian government had attached great importance to the development of the national economy and the improvement of the well-being of the people. Tanzania made remarkable achievements in political, economic, cultural and social fields, while China and Tanzania reaped harvests through long-term friendship and pragmatic cooperation.
Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Hassan, the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania will continue to play its role as a bridge to deepen the long-standing friendship between the two countries. We will strengthen exchanges on governance, promote pragmatic cooperation in various fields, and deliver early results in the “Nine Programs” in Tanzania. We will also increase closer people-to-people exchanges and non-governmental cooperation, and make new contributions to the friendly relations between China and Tanzania in the new era.
Source:
EMBASSY OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA