Liu Qibao: We are advancing on the correct path (2)

Of course, this path has not been an easy one; on the way we have suffered many setbacks, endured many tests, and overcome many risks and challenges. A more recent case is that we have responded to a formidable challenge in the form of the global financial crisis. China's response to the crisis was nothing short of exceptional: as the first country to mount a successful recovery, China became an important engine driving the global economy out of the slump. Several years ago China's contribution to world economic growth exceeded 20%; now it is as high as 30%. Some leading politicians and scholars in the world have used "the most important event of our time" to describe the huge changes China has undergone, and have called China's achievements "unparalleled." Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger went even further by describing China's achievements "hard to imagine" and "beyond imagination."

Since the Eighteenth National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as General Secretary has taken over the baton of history, upheld the guiding role of Marxism, committed itself to the Chinese path, and engaged in efforts to broaden this path as the times advance, thereby opening up a new chapter in the development of Chinese socialism.

On the path towards realizing our dream, the CPC Central Committee has balanced domestic considerations with international ones, committed itself to comprehensively deepening reform, and demonstrated the courage to grapple with the toughest of problems and brave the most treacherous of waters. It has resolutely eliminated defects present in various systems and mechanisms, and advanced the modernization of our country's governance system and governance capacity; it has adapted to a new state of economic growth, maintained a commitment to seeking steady progress while engaging in reform and innovation, and promoted sustained and sound economic growth; it has improved and guaranteed public wellbeing on the basis of China's realities, and weaved a stronger social safety net; it has upheld the principle that the Party should govern itself according to a strict code of discipline, grappled the issue of conduct by taking vigorous action, and combated corruption with a zero-tolerance attitude; and it has persisted in pursuing the path of peaceful development, devoted major efforts to establishing a new model of international relations based on cooperation and mutual benefit, and won both the sincere support of the people and the widespread recognition of the international community. Through these efforts, the Party and state have opened up new horizons, created a new social atmosphere, and made new achievements, thereby laying down a new historical milestone on the Chinese path.

Decoding the Chinese Path

We have created an institutional civilization that boasts unique features and advantages.

As the miracle of China's development has received increasingly high levels of attention and China's international influence has continued to grow, "decoding China" has become a popular topic of discussion among the international community. How has China done it? How has the Communist Party of China done it? Questions such as these have frequently been the subject of much thought.

The path a country takes and the system it employs are closely linked to one another. Without the right system to support it, the success of a path would be impossible. China's unique system was derived from a process of "washing away the sand to reveal the gold." Since the advent of modern times, China has tried on "shoes" of all shapes and sizes. At one point, it even sought to copy the system of the West. None of these, however, resulted in success. It was not until the birth of the Communist Party of China that things really began to change. Through their bitter explorations, the Chinese people, led by the Communist Party of China, have discovered the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; formulated its theoretical framework and established the Chinese socialist system. Compared with other systems, China's system has shown marked advantages in a number of areas, being demonstrative of an institutional civilization with unique features and advantages.

First, our system is highly rational and effective with regard to decision-making and enforcement. The capacity of a country to make decisions and enforce them constitutes an important criterion for gauging the merits of that country's system. Nothing can be achieved when decisions are made one minute and then changed the next on a whim. In a recent interview, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that if Afghanistan had the opportunity to choose again, it would certainly choose a Chinese-style path of development. This was because it was highly effective in taking action, resolute in its decision making, and results-oriented. These remarks shed light on one of the most prominent advantages of China's system. Our system is able to focus on the overall interests of the people and the long-term development of the country. It ensures that decisions can be made rationally and promptly; enforced efficiently and effectively; and that a balance of continuity and innovation can be attained. Each of China's Five-Year Plans, for instance, is formulated through a process of consultations among all interested parties, with opinions being conveyed upwards and then fed back downwards time and again until a consensus is reached and a decision is made.

The huge capacity of China's system for action is even more evident in cases where we are able to pool national strength to carry out major undertakings and overcome major adversities. During our response to the devastating Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan Province in 2008, for instance, the entire country rushed into action upon the calls of the CPC Central Committee, and this quickly culminated in a disaster relief effort of monumental proportions. As a result, we were able to mount an effective reconstruction effort within a relatively short period of time.