To understand China, one has to understand the CPC

While addressing the Understanding China Conference in Guangzhou, via video link, earlier this month, President Xi Jinping said that to understand China one must strive to understand the Communist Party of China. Which gains added importance because the CPC is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding this year.

The Understanding China Conference is an international event which the Chinese leadership uses to inform the world about the country's development and foreign policy, and tries to address the false global apprehensions about China. The Guangzhou conference was the fifth in a series of events to better enlighten the world about the realities of China.

The conference was not only about China but also foreign states forging friendships and improving their understanding to establish cooperation with other countries. In the long run, it will help global leaders, driven by mutual trust, respect and equality, to find common ground for cooperation.

The theme of Guangzhou conference, "Whence and Whither－Unprecedented Changes in the World and China and the CPC", acknowledged the world's transition from the worst phase of the pandemic to the post-pandemic period. It also acknowledged the CPC's special place in China's national ethos and the lives of Chinese people, not least because the Party has provided the vision and direction to the country to make its remarkable achievements.

It is important to grasp the essence of the current global challenges and draw lessons from history to foresee the future challenges. China has learned important lessons from wars, strategic confrontations, unilateralism and non-cooperation. Under the leadership of President Xi, China has embarked on the journey to achieve national rejuvenation and help build a community with a shared future for mankind through multilateralism, cooperation and mutual development.

As Xi said, diplomacy is a noble cause characterized by transparency and fair practices. Under the able leadership of the Party, China's diplomacy has made great achievements despite facing sociopolitical, economic and security challenges.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, CPC Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping has paid greater attention to national and international developments, and decided China's strategic communication and foreign policy goals. He has emphasized that China will never forgo its traditional art of diplomacy or allow global trends to alter Chinese goals.

China has developed a unique style with Chinese characteristics of conveying its message to the world. It has created a spirit of reciprocity, a flexible style of negotiation and opened new horizons in diplomacy.

Xi has said the world is passing through unprecedented political and technological changes coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the accelerated pace of events, Xi has emphasized that it is important for global leaders to exchange ideas, in order to deepen cooperation and strengthen coordination.

Countries can collectively respond to the emerging challenges and join hands to harness the benefits of emerging prospects but if the tendency of separatism and exclusion continue to gain strength, the world may lose struggle to achieve this goal.

Noting that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party and 50th anniversary of restoring its lawful seat in the United Nations, Xi said the Party has helped consolidate the unity among the Chinese people and led them toward realizing national rejuvenation.

China has lifted more than 750 million out of poverty; in fact, it eradicated absolute poverty and succeeded in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects last year. This would not have been possible without the astute leadership of the Party.

The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee adopted a resolution on the "Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century", which analyzes the Party's historical experiences and learns from its shortcomings, so as to achieve success on those fronts in the future. The Party, as Xi said, will not only draw lessons from history but also forge a strong plan of action by sticking to socialism with Chinese characteristics to lead the Chinese people on a new journey to build a great modern socialist society.

The Party has always put people first, remained committed to its core mission of serving the people and adhering to the philosophy of people-centered development, with the aim of promoting universal prosperity. The Party has also vowed to pursue the path of peaceful and open development, work to build a community with a shared future for mankind while upholding the core values of peace, development, impartiality, justice, democracy and freedom.

The writer is the founder of Friends of Belt and Road Initiative.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.