Photo: Xinhua
Several key statistics are among the footnotes that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has written over the past 75 years: GDP per capita rose from a few dozen dollars in 1952 to $12,700 (€11,400). ) in 2023; average life expectancy increased from 35 years to 78.6 years; and the rail network increased from 22,000 kilometers to 159,000 kilometers, including 45,000 kilometers of high-speed lines…
Other comparisons between different sectors show that China is making great strides.
At this historical moment, it is essential to understand what type of path China has followed and what has enabled it to make great strides. The answers to these questions shed light on China’s continuing quest for modernization, but they also provide a source of inspiration for the rest of the world, particularly the Global South, in facing development challenges.
Strong leadership
The steps of China’s modernization have been and will continue to be strong only under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Yang Xuedong, director of the Department of Political Science at Tsinghua University, analyzes this leadership of the CCP from three aspects: as a pioneer in exploration, a central pillar for the unity of the entire population, and an ultimate guarantee in the event of crisis. According to him, the CCP is “a pioneer” both in ideology and practice. Through China’s continued modernization, the CCP has provided a vision for the country’s future. With nearly 100 million members occupying various positions in all walks of life, the CPC also leads concrete efforts in practice.
According to several analysts, cohesion is vital for a country as unique as China, with its huge population, vast territory, diverse ethnicities and cultures, and the varied interests of different groups.
“With Party organizations at different levels, the CPC effectively mobilizes the people toward a common goal. (…) The CCP has also served as a safeguard during major difficulties,” notes Yang Xuedong.
“China’s socialist cause has faced setbacks, but we can still overcome difficulties with strong leadership,” analysts say.
Faced with profound global changes unprecedented in a century, the CPC fulfills its role in the duty of each Party member, who participate in the revitalization of rural villages, safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity along land borders and maritime, and strive to tackle difficult problems and achieve scientific and technological breakthroughs, they emphasize.
A clear roadmap
“China’s path has the clear goal of achieving China’s modernization and national rejuvenation. A well-defined roadmap guides this great cause,” notes Yang Xuedong.
President Xi Jinping first introduced the concept of Chinese modernization in a speech on the occasion of the centenary of the CPC in July 2021. At the 20th National Congress of the CPC held in October 2022, Xi Jinping presented a report clarifying the five characteristics of Chinese modernization, as well as its essential requirements and main principles.
In July 2024, the 3rd Plenary Assembly of the 20th CPC Central Committee adopted a resolution on comprehensively deepening reform to advance China’s modernization. According to analysts, there is a clear trajectory as to how China’s modernization has been envisioned, enriched and will be achieved step by step.
Yang Xuedong insists on the key word “people”, which is crucial for the success of this trajectory. “The people-centered philosophy is reflected in China’s democratic system, governance and pursuit of quality development,” he said, noting that China is capable of bringing together all its resources to carry out major missions, overcome difficulties and ensure that the fruits of development are shared by the entire population.
Bojan Lalic, director of the Belt and Road Institute in Belgrade, notes that China’s modernization is a comprehensive model, which emphasizes the role of the state, but also that the objectives include infrastructure development, technology, innovation and even social progress. “China also prioritizes the environment and ecology, as well as sustainable development, and values culture and tradition in the process of modernization,” he said.
An inspiration for the world
China’s modernization is not only significant for the 1.4 billion Chinese, who constitute a fifth of the world’s population, but it also provides development opportunities for people in other countries through initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or the three “global initiatives”, namely the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China has signed more than 230 cooperation agreements under the BRI, with more than 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations.
“Beyond the immediate economic benefits, China engages in knowledge sharing and cultural exchanges with other countries and regions, demonstrating the benefits of collaboration and a collective approach,” explains Bojan Lalic.
“In contrast to the rapid democratization advocated by Western-style modernization, China’s approach has been more gradual, emphasizing economic development alongside sociopolitical continuity. (…) The Chinese path has demonstrated the importance of long-term planning and the value of adapting modernization strategies to the unique historical, cultural and social context of each country,” notes Hamad Al Hosani, a senior researcher at the within the think tank TRENDS Research and Advisory in the United Arab Emirates.
Bojan Lalic believes that China’s modernization process offers pragmatic and adaptable prospects for countries and regions facing development challenges. “Countries can adapt their approaches to their particular context, while striving to achieve sustainable growth and development. A key point is that China has replaced the zero-sum game with win-win cooperation,” he emphasizes.
President Xi Jinping has often said that “only the wearer knows whether they fit him or not.” China’s experience challenges the belief that Western-style democracy and capitalism are the only viable paths to modernization. It offers an alternative approach and contributes Chinese wisdom to global development, analysts say.
For Hamad Al Hosani, China’s modernization demonstrates to the world that different models of governance can coexist, fostering a more pluralistic understanding of progress and global cooperation.
