Chinese Modernization: New Opportunities for the World
Keynote Speech by H.E. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang
At the Opening Ceremony of
The Lanting Forum on Chinese Modernization and the World
Shanghai, 21 April 2023
Your Excellency Secretary Chen Jining,
President Wu Hailong,
Diplomatic Envoys,
Distinguished Guests,
Friends,
Good morning. I am very pleased to join you at the Meet-the-World Lounge by the Huangpu River. This is the first Lanting Forum event in Shanghai. My heartfelt appreciation goes to Secretary Chen Jining and the Shanghai municipal government for your strong support.
Shanghai is the right place for our Forum themed “Chinese Modernization and the World”. As is often said, you should go to Shanghai if you want to know about the last 100 years of China. A little over a century ago, the Communist Party of China (CPC) started its journey from here. Since then, Shanghai has witnessed not only the vicissitudes of the Chinese nation, but also the profound transformation across the country. The old Shanghai, dominated by foreign powers, is a forerunner today in China’s reform and opening-up. A bustling and prosperous metropolis has risen from devastation since 1949. As China’s biggest economic and innovation powerhouse and a trading and shipping hub of the world, Shanghai is leading the trends of our times and development. It is a shining hallmark of the Chinese path to modernization.
Friends,
A towering tree grows from its roots, and a long river flows from its source. Likewise, our success in Chinese modernization was not handed down from the heaven or just emerged by itself. It has been attained step by step through determined, painstaking efforts of the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC always staying true to its founding mission. Chinese modernization is deeply rooted in Chinese history, practices and philosophies.
Chinese modernization is the natural choice of China’s 100-year-long quest for development. Modernization for China has been a journey of hardship and perseverance, anguish and glory, honor and dreams. During modern times, countless patriots looked to the West for a formula of modernization to save the nation, but they all failed. It was not until the birth of the CPC in 1921 that China found the pillar and guidance for its modernization. It is under the CPC’s strong leadership that we have embarked on the great journey of independently building a modern country. We have turned China from an impoverished and backward land into the world’s second largest economy, top trader in goods, biggest holder of foreign exchange reserves, and biggest manufacturer. We have put in place the world’s largest compulsory education system, social security system, and medical and health system. China has realized, in a short span of several decades, industrialization that had taken developed countries several centuries. We have caught up with the times in great strides.
Chinese modernization is the natural requirement for promoting national rejuvenation on all fronts. As of the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the “acceleration button” was pressed in China’s modernization drive. The two major miracles — fast economic development and long-term social stability — continued. Absolute poverty was eradicated. A moderately prosperous society in all respects became a reality. With this, the First Centenary Goal was realized. The Chinese nation has achieved a great transformation from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong. National rejuvenation is now on an irreversible course. At the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) sessio