At the Symposium on the Chinese Path to Modernization and Common Development held on April 19 in Beijing, academics and politicians from many countries examined the global implications of Chinese modernization and spoke highly of China’s contributions to world development.

Implications of Chinese modernization

Chinese modernization has created a new form of human advancement. Liu Wei, former president of Renmin University of China (RUC), said that the new form of human advancement created out of Chinese modernization is manifested in extending civilization in material, institutional, cultural-ethical, ecological, and political terms.

Not only has Chinese modernization provided new alternatives for humanity to achieve modernization, but whole-process people’s democracy, the Chinese model of democracy, has also carved out new paths for the development of democracy in human society. Democracy should be able to promote social progress, improve people’s wellbeing, facilitate governance for development, and enhance equality around the world, said RUC President Lin Shangli.

Based on the characteristics of Chinese society, the requirements of socialism, and the will of the people, whole-process people’s democracy demonstrates that China’s democracy is extensive and genuine, Lin said. For democracy to thrive in any country, it must be rooted in the country’s unique development fundamentals and conditions. This approach can help promote the growth, governance, and stability of the state, ultimately leading to the betterment of people’s lives and the prosperity of the nation.

China’s global contributions

Chinese modernization is pursued under the leadership of the CPC. As China’s composite national strength and international clout continue to grow in the new era, the international community has become increasingly interested in the CPC, seeking to gain a deeper and broader understanding of its role and impact.

In China, the CPC has successfully implemented socialism with Chinese characteristics in both theory and practice, noted Solly Mapaila, general secretary of the South African Communist Party. This historical achievement has not only extended Marxism, but also demonstrated its adaptability to unique conditions of different countries.

Mapaila added that China’s experience and history have provided valuable lessons for South Africa. It has also substantively advanced the development of international productive forces. Anchored in principles like independence, mutual trust, and mutual benefit, China has proposed many global initiatives, promoting world peace and development, Mapaila said.

Henrik Stamer Hedin, chairman of the Communist Party of Denmark, said that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and BRICS cooperation mechanism have contributed a great deal to the building of a new international order and injected great momentum to the world’s modernization drive, while helping other countries explore paths of independent development toward modernization.

Hassan Haidar Karim, a member of the Lebanese Communist Party, said that China has made active contributions to alleviating poverty, building mutually beneficial relationships, coping with climate change, and so forth. Its development has presented a new, alternative development model to the world.

The symposium was co-hosted by the International Department of the Central Committee of CPC and RUC. At the event, the book Communist Party of China in the New Era from the Perspective of the International Community was launched.