By Doris Fedinard
The birth of the Communist Party of China, CPC. has been described as an epoch-making event, which has changed the course of Chinese history, the fate and future of Chinese people and nation.
This was the view expressed by the new Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria. Cui Jianchun at the opening session of the Seminar on CPC’s New Blueprint & China-Nigeria’s New Journey yesterday as part of activities to mark the 100th anniversary of the CPC and the 50th annivery of China Nigeria relationship
Going down memory lane ambassador Jianchun recalled that the CPC was established with just 57 members in 1921, at a point when China experienced enduring impoverishment and instability.
“After 28 years’ of revolution andagainst local warlords, foreign invaders and the Kuomi government, Chinese people gained independence from imperialism, feudalism, bureaucrat-capitalism, and finally established the People’s Republicof China (PRC) in 1949.
Ever since then, the CPC united and led the people in blazing a trail through dedicated work and amid extreme difficulties, passinghistoric milestones and performing miracles in China’s modernization.
Since the formation of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, Ambassador Jianchun said China has made remarkable progress especially in poverty reduction, education and the economy.
“On poverty alleviation. Chinese President Xi Jinping declared early this year that 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty and China has completely eliminated the extreme poverty” He said.
Speaking on China’s achievement in education he noted that about 80 percent of China’s population was illiteratein 1949.
“Fast forward to today the enrollment rate of primary school children is 99.95 percent while the junior high school grossenrollment rate is over 100 percent. In 2018, there were more than 210,000 compulsory education schools in China, hosting nearly 150 million students”,
He also spoke of the gains of the CPC in the area of social security noting that China has built the world’s largest social security system, with nearly 1 billion people covered by the basic old-age pension system.
” The life expectancy of the Chinese peoplehas risen to 77 years from 35 years in 1949″ .
On economy he said China is now the world’s second-largest economy, with its GDP at about US$15.42 trillion and per capita GDP of over US$10,000 in 2020.
“China is currently the only country that hasdeveloped all the industrial categories of the UN’s industrial classification. As the world’s largest industrial producer, China ranks first in output at over 220 among the world’s more than 500 majorindustrial products.
“On infrastructure. China’s high speed rail lines topped 37,900 kilometers at the end of 2020, nearly doubling the figure five yearsago and making China a country that owns the longest tracks for bullet trains” he said.
He attributed the achievements to the tenacious struggles waged by the CPC and the Chinese people.
He however, noted that China still faces many difficulties and challenges, as the principalcontradiction of the Chinese society currently has evolved into the one between unbalanced and inadequate development and thepeople’s ever-growing needs for a better life.
He however said that the CPC has sufficientconfidence, ability and wisdom to overcome all kinds of risks and tests.
“In recent years, especially since the 18th National Congress of theCPC in 2012, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, socialism withChinese characteristics has crossed the threshold into a new era. After achieving a great transformation from standing up to growing rich, and to becoming stronger, the Chinese people with the leadership of the CPC is ready to make more contribution to humancivilization and progress.
With the beginning of its 14th Five-Year Plan this year, China is starting a new journey of building a modernsocialist country in all respects and stride forward to the second centennial goal, that by 2049, the centenary of the People’s Republicof China, to “build a modern socialist country that is prosperous,strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious”.
In her remarks, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information and Vulture Mrs Ifeoma Adaora Anyanwutaku extolled the cultural cooperation between Nigeria and China
Noting that the signing of agreement on Cultural and Educational
Cooperation in March, 1990 between Nigeria and China signalled the quantum leap in reciprocal activities and exchanges in the spheres of Arts, Music, Dance, Exhibition, Cultural Administration, Training and Capacity building of Cultural Officers and recently, the development of the Ministry’sCultural Industries Centres in Nigeria, among others.
She congratulated the People’sRepublic of China, on her giant strides in all spheres of human endeavour and the enormous prosperity, welfareand human capital development of her citizens and global allies.
