How Beijing should address world's questions

The resolution of the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which was held in July, has evoked a mixed response from the international community. While the wider world recognizes China's achievements, many still misunderstand and even distort the achievements of China.

Under such circumstances, China should better convey its story on the global stage, and improve communication with other countries. As Karl Marx said, "They cannot represent themselves; they must be represented."

The "Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization", adopted by the third plenary session, stressed the importance of creating a healthy external environment for advancing Chinese modernization by establishing a more effective global interactive communication system.

International communication plays a significant role in comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization in the new era, and therefore it must uphold the fundamental principles, break new grounds and promote human progress.

China's communication with the rest of the world should be aimed at maintaining global peace, facilitating common development, cooperation and mutual benefit, clearing other countries' doubts about China's approach to global development, and contributing to civilizational exchanges.

To make China's voice heard on the global stage, it is necessary to demonstrate the spirit, values and strength of the Chinese nation.

First, during the past more than 100 years, the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China's realities and traditional Chinese culture has helped the country make remarkable achievements, and played an important role in socialist revolution, construction and reform.

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has put forward a series of new ideas, new thinking and new strategies on national governance. It embodies the best of Chinese culture and the ethos of our times. Hence, it is essential to spread the core concepts of the thought and new ideas of comprehensively deepening reform.

By promoting the common values of humankind, helping build a community with a shared future for mankind, and promoting the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, China can help the world better understand that these ideas reflect the trend of development, facilitate common progress and safeguard universal security.

Second, the country should also highlight the importance of Chinese values. China's unique political system and cultural advantages, and core socialist values have been playing important roles in advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics, and are valuable resources for shaping China's national image.

Also, China should refine the defining symbols and best elements of these concepts, and come up with new ideas that reflect its stance and values, which can be easily understood and accepted by the international community. These defining symbols and best elements can be used to enrich China's discourse and narrative on the global stage.

China needs to speak with facts that support the country's development. Its communication with the international community should demonstrate Chinese values, highlighting how they have helped create a new path of modernization.

It needs to state clearly what kind of civilization and country China is, and clearly narrate Chinese people's outlook on the world and international relations. China also should highlight its long history and cultural heritage by outlining its concepts on development, civilization, national security, human rights and ecological conservation, as well as its perception of the world order and global governance.

China can clear other countries' doubts about its people-centric development philosophy by explaining that it follows a political system different from the West because it best suits its real conditions, while seeking points of diplomatic convergence with the rest of the world. This will help the international community better understand China, its people and the CPC.

And third, there is a need for China to demonstrate its national strength. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, China has made a series of achievements on the political, economic, cultural and ecological fronts, reflecting the Chinese people's ability to overcome difficulties.

It should also take measures to encourage the international community to focus on the country's development achievements by providing accurate data. For example, China should highlight the fact that it has lifted more than 800 million people out of extreme poverty in just over four decades, and thus made the greatest contribution to global poverty alleviation, and has been contributing more than 30 percent to global economic growth for the past few years.

The most vivid interpretation of China's development achievements is reflected in the struggle stories of the ordinary people, as well as their positive and optimistic attitude toward life. The country should also make the international community realize that China is an important and responsible member of the international community, its development is intertwined with global development, and its development achievements and unique development path are useful references for both developing and developed countries.

The author is a professor at the Institute of Chinese Marxism, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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

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