Leading Chinese modernisation steadily forward through the Party’s self-revolution

By Yu Dunhai, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria

Days ago, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China concluded in Beijing. The session reviewed and adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPC on Certain Major Issues concerning Persevering with Full and Rigorous Party Self-Governance. It sets out systematic plans for continuing to exercise full and rigorous self-governance of the Party on the new journey in the new era, providing a strong political guarantee for advancing the great cause of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation through Chinese modernisation.

Through this plenary session, the world has clearly seen that the Communist Party of China has grown stronger through self-revolution, that China’s development path has become clearer and more determined, and that China’s sincere willingness to share governance experience and work with other countries to create a better future has been further demonstrated.

To govern the country well, we must first govern the Party well; only when the Party thrives can the nation prosper. China’s success hinges on the Party and on exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party has advanced full and rigorous self-governance with extraordinary historical courage and strategic resolve. The fight against corruption has achieved an overwhelming victory and been comprehensively consolidated. Practice has fully proven that, as the world’s largest Marxist governing party, the Communist Party of China possesses a powerful capacity to identify problems, correct deviations and achieve self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal and self-enhancement through its own efforts. It has always been the core force leading China’s development and progress and safeguarding the fundamental interests of the people.

Self-revolution is not an abstract political concept; it is a realistic driving force that promotes national development and benefits hundreds of millions of people. It is precisely by consistently advancing full and rigorous Party self-governance that the CPC has been able to rally the entire society into a powerful, unified force, translating governance efficacy into tangible development results and writing new chapters in the twin miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability. China has built the world’s largest and most complete industrial system. Its manufacturing value-added has long ranked first globally. It has nurtured a middle-income group of more than 400 million people, historically solved the problem of absolute poverty and lifted hundreds of millions of rural residents out of poverty. These tangible development achievements are powerful evidence that the Party’s self-revolution empowers national governance and benefits the people.

China’s development cannot be separated from the world, and the world’s prosperity also needs China. As the world’s second-largest economy, China has the most promising super-large-scale market and has contributed around 30 per cent to global economic growth for many consecutive years, serving as an important multiplier and stabiliser. The series of strategic arrangements made at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee are not only top-level designs for China’s own long-term development, but also contain development opportunities for the world. A China that persists in self-revolution and continues to develop steadily will keep expanding high-level opening-up and inject lasting momentum into the stability of global industrial and supply chains and the recovery of the world economy.

At present, profound changes unseen in a century are accelerating, and the four deficits in peace, development, security and governance continue to grow more pronounced. Developing countries’ desire to independently explore modernisation paths is becoming ever stronger. Against this backdrop, the CPC’s practice of advancing national governance through self-revolution has drawn wide international attention. This reflects recognition of China’s development path and governance effectiveness, as well as keen interest in the logic of self-revolution in Party and state governance.

China never exports its development model, attaches no political conditions and never interferes in other countries’ internal affairs. We always respect every country’s independent choice of a development path suited to its national conditions and are ready to engage in equal exchanges of governance experience with political parties and organisations around the world. China continues to put into practice the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilisation Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, working with all parties to explore solutions to global challenges and contributing Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions and Chinese strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Africa is a continent full of hope, a key force in the Global South and an important partner on the path of Chinese modernisation. Within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China has always upheld the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, as well as the correct approach to justice and interests, and has joined African countries in exploring modernisation. The 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit was a success, at which President Xi Jinping announced the “Ten Partnership Actions” for jointly advancing modernisation, charting a clear blueprint for all-round China-Africa cooperation. Starting from 1 May this year, China has implemented zero-tariff treatment for all African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, further consolidating its position as Africa’s largest trading partner and helping African countries expand exports and advance industrial transformation. The Communist Party of China is deepening exchanges of experience in Party governance and state administration with political parties across Africa, helping the China-Africa community with a shared future take root and becoming a vivid practice of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and a key engine driving the revitalisation of the African continent. In more than two years as Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, I have deeply felt the strong endogenous demand among all sectors of Nigerian society for good governance, stability and an independently chosen path of modernisation. Nigeria is currently upholding strategic autonomy, pursuing a pragmatic foreign policy, advancing structural reforms, actively attracting foreign investment, expanding international trade and promoting technological innovation, thereby continuously strengthening the foundations of independent development and demonstrating firm determination to follow a modernisation path suited to its national conditions. Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership has entered a new stage of high-quality development. The two sides continue to deepen exchanges of governance experience, closely align their development agendas and make practical cooperation in various fields more solid, continuously benefiting the peoples of both countries.

Standing at a new historical starting point, China will take the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee as its guide, remain committed to the long-term task of self-revolution, unremittingly advance full and rigorous Party self-governance, firmly follow the path of Chinese modernisation, unswervingly promote high-quality development and expand high-level opening-up, and steadfastly safeguard world peace and promote common development. China’s door of opening-up will only open wider. The dividends of China’s development belong not only to the Chinese people but also to the whole world. We warmly look forward to walking hand in hand with friends in Nigeria on the path of equality, mutual learning and mutual benefit, jointly writing a new chapter of solidarity and revitalisation among Global South countries.