Giant strides

China confidently presses ahead on the path toward national rejuvenation

In the uninterrupted journey toward realizing the nation's dream of rejuvenation, the last century of Chinese history has been marked by the tremendous efforts to push China forward. Many factors have contributed to the leapfrog achievements it has made, but the key driver has been the leadership of the Communist Party of China. The first decades of this journey were marked by challenging hardships such as foreign interventions. However, with the support of the Chinese people, the CPC has overcome these difficulties. China implemented reform and opening-up in 1978.This historic decision was made to shift the focus of the Party and the country's work into economic development and launched the reform and opening-up era.

The Chinese journey toward national rejuvenation accelerated in the 21st century. With its $15.66 trillion GDP in 2020, China has had the world's second-largest economy since 2010 in nominal GDP, and the world's largest economy since 2014 in terms of purchasing power parity. And the tremendous achievement China has made in raising the living standards of hundreds of millions of Chinese people has brought global attention to China's development path.

Socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a new era after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in late 2012. Over the last decade, China has continued on the path toward national rejuvenation. China has achieved the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects as scheduled, and is embarking on a new stage in its journey toward realizing the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a modern socialist country by the mid-21st century.

Despite the growing instability in international relations due to the transformation of the post-Cold War order, China has been continuing its foreign policy of developing friendly relations with other countries, especially underdeveloped countries, and supporting them in the realization of their national dreams. China firmly rejects unilateralism and hegemony and supports genuine multilateralism as a guiding principle of international relations and adheres to international law as enshrined in the United Nations charter.

President Xi Jinping's call for countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and his proposing of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, have contributed significantly to boosting friendly relations between different countries. Over the past century, the world order had been deeply influenced by colonialism and hegemonic politics. These aforementioned initiatives offer another path for global development, a path of peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation, a path where there is no place for colonialism and hegemony and a path where small countries are respected.

Marking its 100th anniversary in July 2021, the CPC remains focused on achieving lasting greatness for the Chinese nation. Today, it is rallying and leading the Chinese people on a new journey to realize the Second Centenary Goal－to build a modern socialist country that is prosperous and harmonious. I believe that the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will lay the steady foundation for the continued growth of China and the realization of its Second Centenary Goal. It will be another significant milestone in the long journey toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

As humanity seeks to overcome the negative implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis in Ukraine and rising inflation, and tackle the grave challenge of climate change, it needs new methods and new answers. In this context, China's development path sends a clear message to the people of different countries that hard work, honesty and the ability to concentrate potential on solving the most pressing issues will bring positive results. As an ancient nation that analyzes its past to pave the way for the future, Armenia is looking forward to further developing relations with China and learning from China's successful development experience to boost its development according to Armenian national conditions.

The author is chairman of the Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies in Yerevan, Armenia. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.