Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is China’s Fundamental Guidance

[Nigeria]

【尼日利亚】

In the 20th century, the Communist Party of China successfully led China, the world’s most populous country, to throw off the oppression of colonialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic monopoly capitalism, establish a socialist system, and make an outstanding contribution to the liberation of people across the world, especially those in the vast number of developing countries. With the deepening of reform and opening up, the CPC has led the Chinese people to achieve a second great leap: China has gone from relatively slow and backward economic development to becoming the world’s second-largest economy, and has become the first developing country to launch a decisive battle against absolute poverty and win it, creating a development miracle for the world.

中国共产党在20世纪成功带领作为全球人口第一大国的中国摆脱了殖民主义、封建主义、官僚垄断资本主义的压迫，建立起社会主义制度，为全世界人民特别是广大发展中国家人民的解放作出了突出的贡献。随着改革开放的深入推进，中共又带领中国人民实现了第二个伟大的跨越，中国从经济发展相对缓慢落后走向全世界第二大经济体，并且成为最先向绝对贫困发起决战并取得胜利的发展中国家，创造了全世界的发展奇迹。

While praising these brilliant achievements in governance, it is also necessary to recognize that after entering the 21st century, especially after the start of its second decade, changes have taken place in the CPC’s Party conditions, China’s national conditions, and the world situation, raising entirely new standards and requirements for the CPC’s governance. Only by emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, and searching for ideas for governance transformation from China’s actual conditions, can the Chinese people continue to write the legend of China’s development in world history.

在赞颂这些辉煌治国理政成就的同时也需要看到，进入21世纪后，特别是第二个十年开启之后，中共党情、中国国情、世界形势发生了变化，为中共提出了全新的治国理政标准与要求。只有解放思想、实事求是，从中国的实际出发寻找治理变革的思路，中国人民才能继续在世界历史上书写中国发展的传奇。

The 18th National Congress of the CPC, convened in 2012, was a congress of epoch-making significance. At the congress, the CPC systematically reviewed the practical challenges it faced and at the same time systematically planned the blueprint for governance in the next stage. In essence, it was the CPC’s re-departure in the second decade of the 21st century. After the 18th National Congress, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the CPC achieved remarkable accomplishments in multiple areas, including promoting intra-Party rectification of conduct and enforcement of discipline, leading the Chinese people to realize high-quality economic and social development, and advancing the democratization of international relations. These achievements further highlighted the significance of the CPC’s scientific governance and democratic governance for China’s modernization and for world peace and development. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, formed in this process, reflects the development practice in which the CPC leads the entire Chinese people to explore the modernization of the domestic governance system and governance capacity on the one hand, and actively participate in world governance on the other. It is the fundamental guidance for deepening China’s governance transformation. For this reason, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was established at the 19th National Congress of the CPC as the guiding ideology for the entire Party, becoming the latest guide for the CPC’s governance.

2012年召开的中共十八大是一次具有划时代意义的大会，中共在大会上对面临的现实挑战进行了系统的梳理，同时对下一阶段的治理蓝图作出了系统的谋划，本质上是中共在21世纪第二个十年的再出发。十八大之后，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央领导下，中共在推进党内正风肃纪、带领中国人民实现经济社会高质量发展、推动国际关系民主化等多个方面，取得了令世人瞩目的成就，进一步凸显了中共的科学执政、民主执政之于中国现代化以及世界和平与发展的重要意义。在此过程中形成的习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，反映出中共领导全体中国人民一方面探索国内治理体系和治理能力现代化，一方面积极参与世界治理的发展实践，是中国深化治理变革的根本遵循。正因为如此，习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想在中共十九大被确定为全党的指导思想，成为中共治国理政的最新指南。

The CPC’s deep advancement of intra-Party rectification of conduct and enforcement of discipline is a necessary prerequisite for advancing governance transformation in China in the New Era. Countless cases in the history of human development have shown that any individual or political party that rests on its historical laurels and becomes complacent will ultimately be abandoned by the times. Some African political parties that led the African people to victory in the anti-imperialist and anti-colonial struggle lost their ruling status precisely because their ideology or organization degenerated, ultimately being abandoned by the reality of Africa’s transformation and development after the end of the Cold War. As the leading core of China’s modernization drive, the CPC must promptly eliminate the corruption or privileged thinking that has emerged among a very small number of its members, so as to enhance the Party’s credibility among all sectors of Chinese society. After the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping vigorously promoted comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, using the Party’s self-revolution to scientifically answer how to meet this challenge. As a number of disciplinary and law-violating personnel were removed from leadership positions, Party building at all levels was continuously strengthened. The CPC has shown the world its courage to face problems, its determination to solve them, and its wisdom to reflect on them, continuously consolidating the foundation for leading the Chinese people to advance. The CPC’s internal transformation has timely achieved an effective match between the ruling party’s governance capacity and governance system and the objective needs of China’s development, clearing key obstacles for development in other areas.

中共深入推进党内正风肃纪，是新时代中国推进治理变革的必要前提。人类发展历史中已经有数不清的案例表明，任何一个人或者一个政党如果躺在历史的功劳簿上故步自封，最终必将被时代抛弃。带领非洲人民取得反帝反殖斗争胜利的一些非洲政党之所以会丧失执政地位，就是因为其思想或组织退化，最终被冷战结束后非洲转型发展的现实所抛弃。中共作为中国现代化建设的领导核心，其内部的极少部分人员滋生的腐败或者特权思想必须被及时消除，这样才能增强党在中国社会各界的公信力。中共十八大后，习近平总书记大力推进全面从严治党，以党的自我革命的方式，科学地回答了如何应对这个挑战。随着若干违纪违法人员被清除出领导队伍，各级党组织建设不断得到加强。中共向世人展示了直面问题的勇气、解决问题的决心、反思问题的智慧，持续筑牢了领导中国人民继续前进的基础。中共党内变革及时实现了执政党的治理能力和治理体系与中国发展的客观需求之间的有效匹配，为其他领域的发展扫清了关键性的障碍。

The sustainable and inclusive development of China’s social economy demonstrates the strong resilience of China’s economic and social reform and development in the New Era. Shaking off the shackles of absolute poverty is not only a common challenge faced by the vast number of developing countries but also an important development vision set by the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Many developing countries, including some African countries, can maintain relatively stable economic growth rates, but there is a serious disconnect between growth and development, and their ability to resist risks is weak, highlighting the necessity of achieving sustainable and inclusive development. After the 18th National Congress of the CPC, transforming the economy from high-speed growth to high-quality growth became the most prominent feature of China’s economic development. Under this new development model, economic growth is combined with multiple areas such as people’s livelihood development, ecological and environmental protection, social fairness and justice, and coordinated regional development, laying the necessary foundation for achieving comprehensive development on a broader dimension. The inclusiveness of development allows every individual, group, and region to truly become a witness, participant, and beneficiary of social and economic progress, turning the blueprint for comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society into reality; the sustainability of development has enhanced China’s ability to resist and manage internal and external risks. Neither the unilateralist actions of some Western countries nor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been able to stop the steady pace of China’s social and economic development. China’s development achievements will inject vitality into the post-pandemic world economic recovery and further consolidate the foundation for humanity’s pursuit of peace and development.

中国社会经济的可持续与包容性发展，展现了新时代中国经济社会改革发展的强大韧性。摆脱绝对贫困的束缚，不仅是广大发展中国家面临的共同难题，也是联合国2030年可持续发展目标设定的重要发展愿景。包括部分非洲国家在内的不少发展中国家虽然也能保持相对稳定的经济增速，但增长与发展之间严重脱节，抗风险能力弱，凸显了实现可持续与包容性发展的必要性。中共十八大后，将高速增长的经济转变为高质量增长的经济，成为中国经济发展的最突出特征。在这种新发展模式下，经济增长与民生发展、生态环境保护、社会公平正义、区域协调发展等多个领域相结合，为在更广阔的维度上实现全面发展奠定了必要的基础。发展的包容性让每个人、团体、区域都能真正成为社会经济进步的见证者、参与者、受益者，让全面决胜小康的蓝图最终变为现实；发展的可持续性增强了中国抵御和管控内外风险的能力，无论是部分西方国家的单边主义行径，还是持续的新冠肺炎疫情，都没能阻挡中国社会经济稳健发展的步伐。中国的发展成就将为后疫情时代世界经济复苏注入活力，进一步夯实人类谋求和平与发展的基础。

China takes win-win cooperation as the foothold for promoting the transformation of world governance, demonstrating the image and responsibility of a responsible major country amid global changes. Currently, major Western powers, in pursuit of geopolitical interests, are wildly wielding the big sticks of unilateralism and protectionism. Factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, terrorism, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict have brought many uncertainties to the direction of the world situation. Certain aspects of the traditional global governance system have become less friendly to the vast number of developing countries. Facing today’s world at a crossroads, General Secretary Xi Jinping has not only accurately summarized the global situation with the phrase “changes unseen in a century” but has also put forward global governance proposals mainly consisting of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, outlining the grand blueprint for building a community with a shared future for mankind. Unlike the thinking of some Western countries that emphasizes competition, confrontation, and zero-sum games, China’s proposals are characterized by equality, cooperation, and win-win outcomes. This is the extension and development in international affairs of the Chinese traditional cultural traits of goodwill toward others and love of peace. China’s contributions have been welcomed and supported by the vast number of developing countries, including Africa, highlighting the positive significance of Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions for promoting South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue.

中国以合作共赢作为推动世界治理变革的立足点，彰显了世界变局下一个负责任大国的形象与担当。当前，西方大国为谋求地缘政治利益而大肆挥舞单边主义和保护主义大棒，新冠肺炎疫情、气候变化、恐怖主义、俄乌冲突等因素给世界局势走向带来诸多不确定性，传统全球治理体系的某些方面对于广大发展中国家而言变得更加不友好。面对站在十字路口的当今世界，习近平总书记不仅用“百年未有之大变局”准确概括了全球形势，而且提出了以“一带一路”倡议、全球发展倡议等为主要内容的全球治理方案，描绘了构建人类命运共同体的宏伟蓝图。与西方一些国家强调竞争、对抗、零和博弈的思维不同，中国提出的方案以平等、合作、共赢为基本特征，是中国传统文化中与人为善、爱好和平的特质在国际事务中的延伸与发展。中国贡献受到包括非洲在内的广大发展中国家的欢迎与支持，凸显了中国智慧、中国方案之于推动南南合作与南北对话的积极意义。

(The author is Director of the Center for China Studies, Nigeria; the translator, Deng Yanting, is a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Deputy Director of the Security Research Office, China-Africa Institute.)

（作者系尼日利亚中国研究中心主任；译者邓延庭系中国社会科学院习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特约研究员、中国非洲研究院安全研究室副主任）

Online Editor: Zhang Jian

网络编辑：张剑