100 ЛЕТ КОММУНИСТИЧЕСКОЙ ПАРТИИ КИТАЯ. Serving the People Wholeheartedly
Putting the People First
The CPC is dedicated to the people and forever puts their interests first. It follows the underlying trends of social development and respects the people's principal role in making history. It pursues the lofty goal of working for the wellbeing of the Chinese people; and does everything in the interests of the people.
The CPC is rooted in the people. It was born in 1921 in the great struggle against feudal rule and foreign aggression, at a time when Marxism-Leninism became integrated with China's workers movement. From the very day of its creation, the CPC has represented China's working class, the Chinese people, and the Chinese nation. It has no special interests of its own, nor does it represent any interest group, establishment group, or privileged social group. Its only goals are to deliver happiness for the people and achieve national rejuvenation.
The CPC shares the same goals as the people, and it shares a common stake with the people. Drawing support and strength from the people, the Party has grown in strength in the fight to overcome every challenge.
Members of the CPC are ordinary people. They love life and are hard working. They are sincere, open and compassionate. But they are also vanguards and role models in daily life, work, and public activities. They are the first to step forward in case of challenges and dangers, fearless and ready to give their all for the country and the people. They emerge from the people and lead them to go forward. They are Communists - citizens of China both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.
From its very beginning, the CPC has striven to serve the people and won their support and endorsement. It represents the fundamental interests of all the Chinese, and everything it does is to realize, safeguard and advance their interests. Meeting the people's expectation for a better life is its goal.
The people's interests are behind everything the Party does - leading revolution, building the armed forces, developing political institutions, boosting the economy, carrying out reform and opening up, developing culture, and exploring better ways of running society.
In China, the state founded by the people under CPC leadership is called the People's Republic of China; its government is called the people's government, the armed forces are called the People's Liberation Army; and Party officials are people's servants. The Party Central Committee's newspaper is the People's Daily, and China's central bank is called the People's Bank. The people are the lifeblood of the Party; indeed, they are the inexhaustible source of inspiration giving the Party all the strength it needs to fulfill its mission.
The CPC makes decisions and adopts policies in the fundamental interests of the people. At different stages of China's revolution, reconstruction and reform, and at historical junctures critical to the future of the Party and the country, the Party has always acted to advance the people's interests and oppose any action that harms them.
The Party has taken sound development as its top priority in governance. It has unleashed and developed the productive forces to meet the people's expectation for a better life.
Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has followed a people-centered philosophy; it has launched a full range of initiatives to achieve common prosperity and uphold fairness and justice.
It has delivered initial prosperity for all. It has fought Covid-19 and saved lives no matter the cost. It has eradicated absolute poverty in the country, implemented the rural revitalization strategy, and promoted a new people-focused urbanization strategy. The vision that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets inspires the drive to protect the environment.
Determined that housing is for living in, not for speculation, the CPC has taken clear steps to keep the housing market under control. It sees that the capital market is properly regulated. It also sees that justice is served in every judicial case. All of this has enabled the people to fully share the country's development gains.
Over the past century, through all the changes in the domestic and international environment, whether in good times or bad, the CPC has always put the people first. It has never wavered in fulfilling this commitment.
The CPC has made great sacrifices for the people. From the founding of the CPC in 1921 to the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, more than 3.7 million identified members of organizations under Party leadership gave their lives to liberate the country. Of the six family members of Mao Zedong who died for the revolution, five were Party members.
In peaceful times, too, during disaster relief efforts after earthquakes, floods and other emergencies, Party members have rushed to the scene and risked their own lives to save the lives of others. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, close to 400 Party members and officials have lost their lives in the line of duty. More than 1,800 Party members and officials also gave their lives in the battle against absolute poverty.
Among all those who have died were rank and file Party members, senior officials, and family members of top Party leaders.
The Fight Against Covid-19
After China was struck by Covid-19, the CPC and the Chinese government responded swiftly, putting people's lives before all else. It organized massive nucleic acid testing and inoculation, made every effort to identify every case of infection and did everything possible to save patients and protect the people's health.
Treatment of Covid-19 patients is free of charge in China. All Covid-19 patients, both confirmed and suspected, have received government financial aid to pay for any medical bills not covered by basic medical insurance, serious disease insurance, or the medical assistance fund. As of June 2021, all medical expenditure of inpatients with confirmed infections had reached a total of RMB2.8 billion (with RMB1.6 billion paid by basic medical insurance), or RMB20,000 per person. The average cost of treating each Covid-19 patient in critical condition was more than RMB150,000. The individual cost for some patients in critical condition exceeded RMB1 million, all covered by the government.
Free nucleic acid testing and inoculation have been conducted nationwide. As of July 25, 2021, tests have been conducted on 2.2 billion nucleic acid samples, and more than 1.5 billion Covid-19 vaccines had been injected, with all costs covered by the government.
From Victory to Victory with the People
The CPC works in the service of the people. It trusts and relies on the people and mobilizes them to fight for their interests. It follows the mass line, a principle of "from the people, to the people". It has shared good times and hard times with the people, and it has led them in surmounting all obstacles and making great strides forward.
By relying on the people, the CPC rose and grew strong. It gained the strength it needed to beat powerful enemies, both inside and outside China, and to win victory in the New Democratic Revolution.
During this revolution, in the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the CPC galvanized extensive public support and defeated the first four Kuomintang (KMT) encirclement and suppression campaigns. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Party mobilized the people and overwhelmed the enemy with a vast people's war. During the War of Liberation, with supplies transported in wheelbarrows and on people's shoulders, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) secured decisive victories against the KMT troops in the three major campaigns.
In these contests between progressives and reactionaries and between justice and injustice, the KMT forces shielded themselves in ironclad fortresses, and the Japanese invaders put their faith in their military superiority. However by relying on the people, the CPC defeated them all.
By relying on the people, the CPC founded the People's Republic, carried out socialist revolution, and engaged in rebuilding the country from scratch. The founding of the People's Republic marked the ultimate moment of freedom for the Chinese people from the yoke of slavery and oppression. Now masters of their own country, the people threw themselves into reconstruction to create a bright future for the country and the nation.
In just a few years, an independent and substantial industrial and economic system took shape in China. Groundbreaking successes were achieved in nuclear technology, satellites, carrier rockets and other cutting-edge technologies, and major advances were made in China's overall development.
By relying on the people, the CPC carried out reform, opening up and socialist modernization, pioneering a path of socialism that is distinctively Chinese.
The reform and opening-up initiative launched by the CPC in 1978 freed people's minds, inspiring them to boldly explore new frontiers. The household contract system was introduced in rural areas, and village and township businesses flourished. The setting up of special economic zones connected China to the world, enabling it to introduce foreign technology and capital and export Chinese products. Waves of reform swept across the country, powering China's development. With dedication and resolve, the Chinese people achieved great success in modernization, completing the greatest social and economic transformation the world has ever seen.
By relying on the people, the CPC has ushered Chinese socialism into a new era. Since its 18th National Congress, the Party has galvanized the whole nation to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation and boosted economic vitality with further reform. Its successful internal initiatives to improve Party conduct have boosted public morale.
The Chinese people have given of their best and fully released their power of creation in pursuit of their shared dreams. They have carried out further reform and achieved all-round initial prosperity. They have eradicated absolute poverty. They have fought side by side in the battle against Covid-19. They have reined in environmental pollution. And they have succeeded in keeping systemic risks at bay. Their hard work has made it possible for China to turn its blueprint for development into reality. Together, the Chinese people are creating miracles that stun the world. Proud and confident, they are pressing ahead on the path of Chinese socialism.
Over the past century, hundreds of millions of Chinese have dedicated themselves to realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Their contribution will go down in the annals of history; their epic deeds will be remembered by posterity. The people have created history, and they are the source of the Party's strength. The Chinese are a great, glorious, and heroic people - this is a fact fully borne out by the 100-year history of the CPC.
The People as Masters of the Country
The people should run their own country - this is an abiding commitment of the CPC. Over the past hundred years, it has led the people in realizing people's democracy in China, a country with a feudal history dating back several thousand years that descended into a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society after the Opium War.
Under the CPC's leadership, democracy has been practiced in the whole process of the country's revolution, reconstruction and reform, in all aspects of governance, and in every field of economic and social life. Democracy, a shared value, has taken root in China as a political institution and mechanism of governance, and the Chinese people now truly hold in their own hands the future of the country, society and themselves.
The CPC has made unremitting efforts to explore new ways of realizing people's democracy.
During the New Democratic Revolution, the Party committed to developing workers' and peasants' democracy and people's democracy, and set up Soviet congresses of workers, peasants and soldiers, assemblies of representatives, and representative conferences of people from all sectors.
When the People's Republic of China was founded, the people's democratic dictatorship was adopted as the governing system, and the system of people's congresses was instituted as the governing structure, thus enabling the people to run their own country.
Since the launch of reform and opening up, the CPC has worked to ensure the Party's leadership, the people's position as the masters of the country, and law-based governance, which have become fundamental principles of democratic socialism with distinctive Chinese features.
Since its 18th National Congress, the CPC has set Eight Criteria to ensure that China's political system is a democratic one that delivers, and these criteria underpin the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Party takes the development of democracy as a matter of comprehensive and far-reaching significance. To ensure the people's principal position, improve the performance of the Party and the state, and arouse the people's enthusiasm, the Party has expanded socialist democracy, advanced electoral democracy, and developed consultative democracy.
Instituted by the CPC, the system of people's congresses is China's fundamental political system. The Party fully solicits the views of the people and heeds their voices, and formulates its policies accordingly.
In a framework under which the Party exercises leadership over the law-making process, and the National People's Congress (NPC) and its Standing Committee exercise the power of legislation, the Party's core beliefs have, through proper legal procedures, been written into the Constitution, the law, and codes of conduct for all the people, state institutions, the armed forces, political parties, social organizations, enterprises and public institutions. The system of people's congresses ensures the CPC's leadership, the people's position as masters of the country, and law-based governance, and it gives full expression to the guidelines of the CPC, the will of the state, and the expectations of the people. This system has been further consolidated and developed since the 18th National Congress of the CPC. The mechanism to ensure that deputies to people's congresses engage with the people has been strengthened, enabling them to better perform their duties, and enabling the people's congresses and their standing committees to better play their roles.
In addition to practicing and improving the system of people's congresses, the CPC has led the people in establishing and developing a number of other political systems, including the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and the system of community-level self-governance. These systems ensure that the people run their country.
Consultative democracy is a distinctive feature of China's socialist democracy. It means consultation among political parties, people's congresses, government departments, committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), people's organizations, communities, and social organizations. It has enriched democracy by expanding its forms and channels.
The system of regional ethnic autonomy provides an institutional base for all ethnic groups to run the country together. It fully protects the equal rights of all 56 ethnic groups and the power of self-governance in ethnic autonomous areas, underpins development in ethnic minority areas, and reinforces ethnic unity.
Under the system of community-level self-governance, urban and rural residents directly exercise their democratic right to manage community affairs and programs for public benefit. Community-level governance in China is a dynamic, harmonious and orderly process.
The system of democratic management by employees congresses in enterprises and public institutions plays an active role in protecting the lawful rights and interests of the employees. It ensures they run their own affairs, enhances vitality of these organizations, and helps them to flourish and prosper.
The CPC conducts whole-process democracy. This practice is supported by public consultation, under which public issues are discussed by all those involved to reach extensive consensus.
Under whole-process democracy, the people exercise their democratic rights through a variety of channels - in regular elections, and through involvement in decision-making on major public affairs that are important to the economy and people's lives. This democracy is conducted not only by means of elections, but also through democratic consultation, decision-making, management, scrutiny, and other mechanisms of governance. It is not only a political activity; it also relates to economic, cultural, social and other fields. Indeed, it has become an integral part of daily life and work.
The Chinese people enjoy extensive democratic rights. The days of isolation are gone in China, and democracy is the order of the day. The Chinese people now live in contentment, and Chinese society is full of vitality.
Whole-Process Democracy
Whole-process democracy, including democratic election, consultation, decision-making, management and scrutiny, operates across all of China's governance mechanisms.
By April 2021, more than 2.6 million people from various ethnic groups, sectors, social groups, and political parties, including a large number of workers and farmers, had served as deputies to people's congresses at all levels. Since 2016, more than one billion registered voters have elected close to 2.5 million deputies to county and township level people's congresses.
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, public opinion has been solicited on 187 draft laws. Over 3 million submissions have been made by 1.1 million people, and many important proposals from these submissions have been adopted. During the compilation of the Civil Code, ten rounds of public opinion were solicited, and more than one million proposals were collected from 425,000 people.
Since 2012, the CPC Central Committee has held or entrusted its relevant departments to convene more than 170 consultative meetings to hear views and proposals from the eight non-CPC political parties and from public figures with no party affiliation (non-affiliates) on major issues, such as the 14th Five-year Plan, and the formulation of the reports to be delivered by the general secretary to the CPC National Congress and plenary sessions of the CPC Central Committee.
Non-affiliates and the central committees of the other parties have submitted more than 730 written proposals, many of which have been incorporated into major policy decisions. From its first session in March 2018 to April 2021, the 13th CPPCC National Committee received 23,049 various proposals.
During the critical battle against poverty, the CPC Central Committee asked the central committees of the other political parties to each supervise poverty alleviation efforts in one of eight poor provinces and autonomous regions in central and western China. More than 36,000 people from these parties were involved in this work. They made more than 2,400 proposals to the Party committees and governments of these provinces and autonomous regions, and submitted more than 80 reports to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.
Democracy is a shared value; it is not something to be claimed by any one country. There is no fixed model of democracy; it comes in many forms. In judging whether a particular form of democracy works, one needs to see whether it is adapted to a country's history and culture, whether it conforms to its conditions, whether it can deliver political stability and social progress, whether it can improve people's lives, whether it can win public support, and whether it can contribute to advancing the progressive cause of humanity. Democracy as practiced in China is rooted in China's history and culture. It fits the country's conditions and enjoys popular support. The CPC is committed to developing socialist democracy with distinctive Chinese features. It will continue to enrich China's model of democracy and ensure its sound development.
A Good Life for the People
Everything the CPC has done in revolution, reconstruction and reform is designed to ensure a good life for the people. Over the past century, China has undergone tremendous changes turning itself from a poor and war-torn country into a dynamic and prosperous one. It is now the world's second largest economy, growing in composite strength and international standing. It has thriving cosmopolitan cities, beautiful and harmonious countryside, advanced infrastructure, a safe and convenient transport network, a dynamic market, and a stable and orderly society. Its people are leading a comfortable life to which they have aspired for several thousand years, and they are working towards common prosperity.
The people's lives have greatly improved. They have shaken off absolute poverty and achieved moderate prosperity in all respects. Their rights to existence and development are well protected, and they feel happier, safer and more secure. With a per capita gross national income surpassing US$10,000, China has joined the ranks of upper-middle income economies, and is on its way to become a high-income country. The urban-rural income gap is steadily shrinking, and China has a middle-income group of 400 million people, the biggest in the world.
The employment market in China is stable. At the end of 2020, almost 751 million people in China were in employment.
China has built the world's largest social security network, with basic medical insurance covering 1.3 billion people by the end of June 2021. During the same period, one billion people were covered by basic old-age insurance, 222 million by unemployment insurance, and 274 million by work-related injury insurance. The people have better access to childcare, education, employment, medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance.
The cultural sector is flourishing, and the Chinese people enjoy colorful and enriching cultural activities. China has done much to protect its environment; across the country there are more blue skies, lush mountains and lucid waters. China maintains long-term social harmony and stability, and its people live in peace and contentment in a country widely recognized as one of the safest in the world.
Improvement of Living Standards in China
Index
|
Early years of the PRC (1950s)
|
1980
|
2020
|
Rural poverty incidence
|
Almost all were in abject poverty
|
96.2 percent
|
All rural residents living below the current poverty line were lifted out of poverty
|
Per capita disposable income
|
RMB98 (1956)
|
RMB171 (1978)
|
RMB32,189
|
Life expectancy
|
35 years
|
67.8 years
|
77.3 years (2019)
|
Infant mortality rate
|
200 per 1,000
|
48 per 1,000
|
5.4 per 1,000
|
Enrollment rate of school-age children
|
20 percent
|
95.5 percent
(1978)
|
99.96 percent
|
Average years of schooling among population aged 15 and above
|
More than 80 percent of the population were illiterate
|
5.3 years
|
9.91 years
|
Gross enrollment rate of higher education
|
0.22 percent
|
2.22 percent
|
54.4 percent
|
The mindset of the Chinese people has changed profoundly. They have strong faith in the path, theory, system and culture of Chinese socialism. They now view themselves as the equals of any other in the world. They celebrate the CPC, socialism, reform and opening up, the motherland, and the unity of all ethnic groups in China. Patriotism, reform, innovation, and hard work have taken root in their minds. Core Socialist Values are practiced, and traditional Chinese culture is full of vitality. All of this fills Chinese society with positive energy and confidence.
The Chinese people value and uphold freedom. They enjoy true, comprehensive and extensive freedom. While pursuing their own individual freedoms, they also work to promote common prosperity, development, social harmony and stability. United as one, they face difficulties head-on, rise to challenges, and strive for success. They regard all the world's peoples as one big family, and wish peace and a better life for everyone.
Energetic, passionate young Chinese are dedicating themselves to the cause of the CPC and the people, and they are at the forefront in working to rejuvenate the Chinese nation.
While China has achieved remarkable successes as a result of a dedicated effort made over many years, it is still in the primary stage of socialism and will long remain so. China is still the largest developing country in the world. There is still a long way to go before China can resolve the principal challenge it faces - the gap between unbalanced and inadequate development and the growing expectation of the people for a better life - and deliver prosperity to all its 1.4 billion people.
Over the past hundred years, the CPC has won the heartfelt support of the people, not with rhetoric, but with actions and outcomes and by meeting repeated challenges. This support has never wavered since the Chinese people first chose the CPC to lead them. The Party and the people work together and share weal and woe, and there is an inseparable bond between them. No attempt to sever that bond will ever succeed, and any attempt to shake the people's faith in the Party's leadership is doomed to fail.