Paul Tembe
The dialogue held on 15 March 2023 with world political party leaders organized by the Communist Party of China (CPC) under the core leadership of President Xi Jinping comes as a ray of light while the world faces difficult times. It was an antidote to negative regionalism and divisions between developing and developed nations.
The CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting brought together more than 500 political party leaders and political organizations from more than 150 countries. It was a unitary force strengthening long-standing party-to-party relations between the Communist Party of China and majority likeminded political parties worldwide. Its theme, “Path Towards Modernization: The Responsibility of Political Parties”, holds promises that resonate with all developing nations strengthening and mapping common developmental goals among nations of South-South cooperation.
To understand the content and mission of the World Political Parties High-level Meeting, we must dive into details. President Xi Jinping’s opening statement was that “Political parties as an important force steering and driving the modernization process are duty-bound to answer a series of questions related to modernization.” This remark is twofold and encompasses the historical mission and contemporary duty of political parties worldwide. The historical mission of political parties is to lead by example, engaging in efforts that aim at self-determination, national sovereignty, and comfort and security for their nations with reliance on a people-centred approach. The second duty is creating conducive conditions for the people to get involved in their nation’s development. Such an approach rids a country of the ‘dependency syndrome’ and unleashes dormant talents, helping to fulfil every individual’s responsibility to contribute towards economic and social development.
National Rejuvenation
President Xi made an example of the Chinese Dream and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation as frameworks for achieving development and modernization in China. Xi stated that achieving modernization is a dream the Chinese people have strived to fulfil since modern times. The CPC’s journey of over 100 years, which has united and led the Chinese people in their pursuit of national rejuvenation, is also an exploration of a path towards modernization. Chinese modernization is rooted in China’s national conditions and draws on the experience of other countries. It carries the imprint of history and traditional culture, contains modern elements, and further delivers benefit to the Chinese people while advancing humanity, harmony, and the common development of the world.
The above is an example of how a nation does not need to unlearn its culture and mimic imported cultures in its quest for development and modernization. It also stresses that a nation ought not stray from its historical goals in fear of those aimed at usurping, plundering, and undermining local populations.
The most important aspect of the World Political Parties High-level Meeting was to address developmental problems facing the South-South cooperation nations. The dialogue highlighted that developmental problems are not the result of a lack of resources, human development, or capital. Instead, they are due to models put forward as a framework advancing development in each respective nation.
Global Impetus
In his address, President Xi Jinping sought to provide solutions to developmental problems facing the world, putting forth five propositions. These were to ensure people-centred modernization; uphold the principle of independence and explore diversified paths towards modernization; uphold fundamental principles, break new ground, and ensure the continuity of the modernization process; help others to succeed while seeking one's own success and ensure that all can enjoy the outcomes of modernization; and to forge ahead with enterprise while ensuring firm leadership over modernization.
President Xi’s five propositions were made in light of the tumultuous history constituting what we regard as human development. Xi stressed that the history of human development is filled with twists and turns and that each country’s journey to modernization is arduous. In today’s world, multiple challenges and crises are intertwined. Xi also pointed out the weak momentum of global economic recovery – still below levels prior to the Covid-19 era – and identified widening gaps in development, the deteriorating ecological environment, and the persistence of the Cold War mentality as stumbling blocks that continue to impede development and modernization. He further explained that humanity’s modernization process has once again reached a crossroads.
Modernization Rooted in Unique and Long Civilizations
While Xi Jinping stressed that the CPC will continue to promote inter-civilization exchanges and mutual learning to advance human progress, the world’s countries and regions have chosen differing paths to modernization, rooted in their long and unique civilizations. Transcending time and space, each is splendid and has made essential contributions to humanity’s modernization. As a new form of human advancement, Chinese modernization will draw upon the merits of other civilizations to make the garden of world civilizations more vibrant.
President Xi concluded that, as the Communist Party of China’s future is closely connected with that of other countries in the world, it will strive to provide new opportunities for world development, adding impetus to the exploration of paths to modernization and contributing to the theory and practice of modernization as it progresses in China.
The World Political Parties High-level Meeting and its theme “Path Towards Modernization: The Responsibility of Political Parties” is a wakeup call for political parties worldwide. As a call to modernize, it promises to build a global community with a shared future and highlights the caveats and loopholes of nations whose policies end at the formulation level while lacking implementation.
Paul Tembe is a Sinologist and founder of SELE Encounters