The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party is approaching after a 'glorious decade'.
The biggest event in Chinese political life starts next Saturday (16), reports our correspondent in Beijing.
Leonardo Sobreira, from Beijing
Originally published on People's Daily
In 2012, China embarked on a stage of high-quality economic growth unprecedented in world history. It was also in that year, after the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, that Xi Jinping was elected General Secretary of the CCP and Chairman of the Central Military Commission.
In his speech to the press immediately after the event, Xi emphasized the economic aspirations of the Chinese people and highlighted the weight of the historical responsibility borne by the CCP.
"Our people love life and expect better education, more stable jobs, better income, more reliable social security, high-quality healthcare, more comfortable living conditions, and a more beautiful environment," declared the then-new leader, whose presidency was confirmed in 2013.
“They hope that their children can grow up better, work better, and live better. People’s yearning for a good and beautiful life is the goal we strive for,” Xi added.
China's economic statistics for the following decade, the 'glorious 10 years', reveal that Xi did not make empty promises. The country accounted for more than 18% of the global economy in 2021, up from 11,4% in 2012, with GDP per capita jumping from US$6,300 to US$12,500 during that period. The middle class expanded to a third of the population in the last decade, and nearly 100 million Chinese were lifted out of poverty.
China has also established the world's largest education, social security, and healthcare systems, with life expectancy rising to 77,9 years in 2021, up from 75,4 years in 2012.
Coupled with high-quality economic growth is a concern for the environment, one of the central themes of Xi's thinking. China's forested lands account for about a quarter of the world's total, and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP have fallen by about 34% in the last decade. The country now leads the world in installed capacity for wind and solar power and other green energies, as well as in the production and sale of new energy vehicles.
On the other hand, the 20th Congress will take place in a context of new challenges. The Chinese economy is the target of an attempt at isolation in strategic sectors, such as semiconductors, by the West. It also faces the consequences of reduced economic activity due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, Xi is increasingly proposing his own economic theories, such as 'common prosperity' and 'prevention of uncontrolled capital expansion'.
In the geopolitical arena, anti-China provocations are increasing at the same time as solidarity with Beijing grows among developing countries. Whether in Xinjiang or Taiwan, the West has doubled down on destabilization tactics, and Xi has demonstrated his determination to eliminate any attempt to contain China's growth.
The next five years will be marked by the resolution of these challenges and the continuation of the developmental policies carried out by Beijing. These obstacles are small for the CCP, which, in the last decade, has demonstrated the capacity to intensify the momentum of the historical goal of China's national rejuvenation.
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