Foreign

As The Communist Party Of China (CPC) Marks Its 20th National Congress

Published

4 years ago

October 16, 2022

By Austin Maho, Ph.D.

The most important political event in the Communist Party of China (CPC) calendar is taking place in Beijing China. Since 1977, the CPC has established an unbroken ritual of holding its National Congress every five years. This year’s Party Congress will be the 20th such gathering since the CPC’s founding in 1921.

The 20th Congress of the CPC brings together China’s most senior leaders at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People to review the achievements of the CPC in the preceding five years and chart a way forward in years to come.

This year’s Congress offers an opportunity to consider the remarkable achievements of President Xi Jinping as leader of the CPC in the last 9 years. Central to any analysis of Xi Jinping’s contributions to the development of the CPC in particular and China in general is the body of work which is now generally known and referred to as “Xi’s Thought” which encapsulates his theoretical vision for the social, economic and political transformation of China.

It would be recalled that the 19th Party Congress saw ‘Xi Jinping Thought’ gaining prominence by becoming an integral part of the party charter and constitution.

The significance of this is that it establishes Xi as a central figure in the Chinese political firmament. He becomes the first Chinese leader since CPC founder Mao Zedong to get his contribution to the party’s philosophical postulations presented as a “thoughts”

To his credit, Xi Jinping has overseen a period of profound policy realignment and formulation which has seen to the remarkable growth of the Chinese economy in the last decade. A major policy reform in his first term was to purge the CPC of corruption and aimed for “national rejuvenation” and sustainable growth across board in both rural and urban China, by dealing a decisive blow against the dishonest dealings of both “tigers” and “flies”. Since the beginning of his second tenure he has shown consistency in the implementation of priorities outlined in the work report of the 19th Party Congress.

The report which was presented by Xi Jinping himself in the 19th congress of the CPC, highlighted the policy thrust of national rejuvenation to include achieving a decisive victory in, “Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” and transformation to achieve “socialist modernization” by 2035 and become “a great modern socialist country that is prosperous” by mid-century.

In February 2021, Xi announced the eradication of “extreme poverty” at all levels. According to him the task of building a “moderately prosperous society” was achieved and became the landmark achievement of the CPC in its 100th anniversary celebration. Fighting the poverty scourge was a central and directional policy of the Xi era. It is no wonder therefore that the material wellbeing of the Chinese people have significantly improved under Xi.

Having defeated poverty, the work report for the 20th CPC congress is likely to thus focus on vision 2035 and its priority areas. Vision 2035 is the next task and milestone for China to attain “socialist modernization” in line with Xi’s vision for the new Chinese era.

Evidently, China’s remarkable growth and development cannot be divorced from its political system, which has brought stability and growth to the nation of 1.4 billion people under the leadership of the CPC, the largest political party in the world. The Chinese model of socialism is unique because it has inbuilt Chinese characteristics. In broad terms it represents Marxist –Leninism, adapted to Chinese peculiarities. Furthermore, Xi Jinping’s thought represents this characteristic and aligns with those of Marxist-Leninism.

While not outrightly advocating the Chinese model, it must be emphasized that many underdeveloped and developing countries in the world share similar characteristics with China. China has experienced many of the hiccups being experienced by many African countries today. Under these circumstances there is a lot that can be learnt from the Chinese model in building an economic and political system that is unique and adaptable to peculiar political and economic challenges rather than aping prescriptive Western style democracy.

Staying true to its chosen path under the guidance of the CPC, China has become a global economic player that has achieved significant progress in its quest for economic emancipation for its citizens. In 30 years of reforms China has successfully lifted over 800 million people from poverty. These people are mostly based in the rural parts of China. The figure represents more than half of the poor population of China. These achievements can only be attributed to the Chinese model and adoption of communist principles with Chinese characteristics. Characteristics which are people centered with a strong political organization that recognizes democratic principles in its decision making process.

In a speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to mark the end of extreme poverty and honour the frontline fighters in the monumental accomplishment on 25th Febuary 2021, Xi Jinping noted: “No country has been able to lift hundreds of millions of peoples out of poverty in such short time.” For China, it was a miracle that not only reduced poverty in China but cut global poverty by more than half. The role of the CPC in this monumental accomplishment is central which President Xi Jingping noted, provided the “political and organizational guarantee in the long and arduous struggle against poverty”.

The “organizational guarantee” of political parties is sacrosanct, this is a lesson African political parties must learn from the CPC towards the ultimate objective of “working for the people’s wellbeing” as Xi noted at the world political parties’ Summit on July 6, 2021.

The Communist Party of China under Xi Jinping is a people centered political party. This has been the driving force to the Communist Party’s longevity and accomplishment. The CPC has demonstrated its determination to support developing countries to grow their economies and lift their people out of poverty.

In the views of Professor Georg T Yu, “China has established enduring relationships on all continents and with numerous partners both major and minor”. However, “no other continent can rival the extent, the intensity, the speed and the impact of China’s relations in Africa”. In a similar vein, a 2017 report by Mckinsey and Company with the title: “How Africa and China are engaging and how the partnership would evolve, “ notes that in a mere two decades China has become Africa’s largest economic partner across trade, investment, infrastructure financing, and, there is no country with such depth and breadth of engagement in Africa” the report noted.

The two principle platforms of engagement apart from the traditional bilateral cooperation between China and individual African nations has been the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ also known as the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) or OBOR, One Belt One Road.

FOCAC is a multilateral mechanism of partnership which came into being in October 2000. Twenty two years after, it has become a major landmark in the growing Sino/Africa relationship and one of the world’s most visible and effective multilateral platforms for international collaboration and development.

FOCAC has come to represent the new world order for multilateralism and cooperation. In twenty two years it has become the rallying point for developing countries and South-South cooperation. It represents a shift in Western-backed global institutions that have only served the interests of big powers.

As noted by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the September 2018 meeting, FOCAC has become an important mechanism for collective dialogue and practical cooperation between China and African countries, a model of South-South cooperation and a banner of international cooperation between China and Africa. FOCAC for African countries has come to, “represent the principle of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith and the values of friendship, justice and shared interests”.

It is instructive that the 8th Ministerial Conference of FOCAC which took place in Dakar Senegal in November 2021 had as its theme: “Deepen China-Africa Partnership and Promote Sustainable Development to Build a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era”.

In line with the “Dakar Action Plan 2022 to 2024”, China/Africa relationship is expected to enjoy high-level political exchanges and experience sharing on governance; support for African countries to independently chose their paths to economic and political emancipation.

The Dakar Action Plan means that the two sides work “to create synergy between the China/Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, the Long-Range Goals for 2035 of China, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations, and the Agenda 2063 of the African Union, thus drawing a long-term blueprint for China/Africa practical cooperation”.

Also on the table includes bilateral and multilateral political dialogues such as the China/Africa political parties theoretical seminar, that would deepen experience sharing and mutual learning on state governance. These are opportunities that African political parties must take advantage of in the overall interest of the people of Africa and in line with China/Africa cooperation.

Be that as it may, China has not directly sought to impose its will on African countries and has stayed true to its policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of African countries.

We live in a diverse world; consequently the ways and means of achieving democracy should reflect this diversity as no single yardstick should be applied in judging democracy.

African political parties must reflect this diversity. African political parties must uphold the universal principle of democracy which underscores, participation, rule of law, equity, justice and fairness to achieve their core mandate which should be hinged on people’s wellbeing, happiness and security. Great efforts should be made towards collaboration and consensus building and promoting common values of humanity and building a community with a shared future.

As the largest developing country in the world, China must continue to assist Africa by sharing development strategies and experiences. African political parties must evolve the developmental philosophies needed to domesticate these ideas and processes to root out underdevelopment from the continent.

However, China/Africa cooperation must be wary of the antics of some Western nations and its attempt to define and take ownership of the abiding principles of democracy, for democracy belongs to no one neither is it painted in the colors of any nation’s flag.

As the CPC holds its 20th National Congress, there are expectations by African countries against the background of changing global realities.

Since the last Congress in 2017, the world has changed significantly, a consequence of Covid-19 pandemic and the global economic disruption that came with it. The disease has challenged global health and relationships. It has exposed global fault lines and has laid bare the hypocrisy of nations. At a time the world should have embraced multilateralism and solidarity, some countries have fallen short of expectation. Unilateralism and nationalism became a counterforce to multilateralism.

The breakthrough in vaccine production only accentuated global fault-lines and led to vaccine nationalism and inequalities. The economic meltdown occasioned by the fall in global commodity prices meant African countries were worst hit by the spiraling effect of the pandemic.

The 20th National Congress of the CPC is auspicious as it would provide China the opportunity to continue to build on its cooperation with African nations in the spirit of South-South cooperation.

The Congress offers immense opportunities to recalibrate China /African cooperation along the tested lines of mutualism, win- win and a shared future. Africa needs more assistance to combat the pandemic, more trade and investment. The Congress therefore offers opportunities for new vistas, new agendas and blueprint for the development of the continent.

In May 2021, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at a reception commemorating Africa Day in Beijing emphasized that enhancing unity and cooperation with Africa has always been high on China’s diplomatic agenda. China-Africa relations he said, has “reached a new starting point.”

The “starting point” in China/Africa relations is working cooperatively and collaboratively. As the 20th Congress of the CPC is set to take place, African countries and political parties expect more collaboration and consultation between China and Africa.

African countries expect more activities on the Belt and Road Initiative and implementation of the action plan of FOCAC, for the development of physical infrastructure in the continent.

African countries also expect more collaboration especially in the areas of trade and investment. African countries want to see practical cooperation in the pursuit of common development and incorporation of Africa into China’s agenda 2035 , China’s new development paradigm and Xi’s vision for the new era.

Africa seeks more synergy and exchanges on the political front between political parties in Africa and the CPC.

Africa also desires to see more efforts towards Cushioning the effects of COVID-19, promoting multilateralism and promoting the ideas of a multilateral world through the instrumentality of the United Nations.

China continues to prove to the rest of the world that its unique blend of communism with Chinese characteristics works. China is certainly not a Communist gulag as some people would want us to believe. China has over the years evolved a process were decisions are reached through the consensus of elected representatives, demonstrating China’s democratic credentials which is people centered.

President Xi Jinping people centered thoughts is at the core of modern China and the driving force that led to the realization of its first millennia goal of building a moderately prosperous society, and propelling China towards its second goal of building a modern socialist country.

African countries from all ramifications have a positive disposition towards the achievements of the CPC in the last decade. African political parties must continue in the task of building a high level China/African community with a shared future and implement a people centric approach in the development of political party ideology.

African countries are upbeat and hopeful of a positive outcome of the 20th National Congress in line with China/African relationship built on the principles of win-win and a shared future.

Dr. Austin Maho is a media scholar, a media teacher, a political activist and public affairs commentator. He is the publisher and Editor-in Chief of Daybreak Nigeria, a Nigeria Newspaper and Red Dragon Magazine. He is a member of the Nigeria Guild of Editors and several national and international organization.

Foreign

China’s robust Q1 performance lifts global confidence

Published

8 hours ago

April 28, 2026

Our Reporter

By He Yin, People’s Daily

China recently unveiled its economic performance for the first quarter of 2026. Its GDP reached 33.4193 trillion yuan ($4.9 trillion), up 5 percent year on year in real terms, accelerating by 0.5 percentage points from the fourth quarter of last year.

The figures have drawn close attention from the international community, which generally believes that amid rising global uncertainty, China’s economy has demonstrated resilience and vitality, injecting much-needed stability and positive momentum into the world.

At present, global instability is intensifying. The spillover effects of geopolitical conflicts are expanding, and international organizations such as the UN and the Asian Development Bank have warned of growing downside risks. The global economy is moving forward under pressure.

In the face of mounting external uncertainties, China’s economy continues to display strong resilience, robust internal momentum, and proactive, effective macroeconomic policies. Phrases such as “better than expected” and “growth against the headwinds” have frequently appeared in international media coverage.

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, noted that China’s economy has shown resilience, possesses immense potential, and will have a positive impact on the world.

Driven by innovation, high-quality development surges forward. In the first quarter, China’s equipment manufacturing sector contributed nearly 50 percent to the growth of value added in industrial enterprises above designated size. In the first two months of the year, high-tech manufacturing accounted for more than half of the increase in total industrial profits, underscoring the growing role of new growth drivers.

China’s industries are advancing rapidly toward high-end, intelligent, green and upgraded development, delivering continuous breakthroughs in fostering new quality productive forces.

Exports of green products such as electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and wind turbines and their components rose by 77.5 percent, 50.4 percent, and 45.2 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, investment in frontier fields including AI and humanoid robotics increased by 45.5 percent year on year, and the business vitality index of technology-driven enterprises rose by 8.1 percent.

Global media outlets have observed promising signs: China’s thriving clean energy technologies are creating huge economic value, and robust demand for AI devices is driving steady growth of China’s foreign trade. These positive trends vividly demonstrate China’s progress in developing new quality productive forces.

Domestic demand has also shown overall improvement, creating favorable conditions for sustained economic expansion.

Promoting a development model driven more by domestic demand, consumption, and endogenous growth reflects China’s strategic response to changes in its development stage and the evolving international environment.

In the first quarter, retail sales of consumer goods grew by 2.4 percent year on year, while fixed-asset investment returned to positive growth, indicating that the domestic market continues to deepen and expand.

At the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo held in Hainan province, a wide range of global debuts, Asia-Pacific premieres, and China launches were showcased, further strengthening China’s reputation as a premier global destination for quality consumption.

The country’s vast market continues to empower economic development. Some U.S. media outlets observed that China is transitioning toward a more diversified growth model, one that benefits not only China itself but also offers valuable lessons for the global economy.

Amid profound adjustments in the global economic landscape, China remains committed to high-level opening up, creating broad opportunities for the world through its own development.

A series of opening-up measures have been rolled out, including the launch of island-wide independent customs operations at the Hainan Free Trade Port, revisions to the Foreign Trade Law to better align with international rules, and an expanded version of the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment. These steps are improving both the quality and scale of trade cooperation.

In the first quarter, China’s total goods trade exceeded 11 trillion yuan for the first time in the same period, maintaining double-digit growth and reaching the highest quarterly growth rate in five years.

Its trade with Belt and Road partner countries accounted for 51.2 percent of the total, while trade with Africa grew by 23.7 percent. Trade with ASEAN, Latin America, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other APEC economies also recorded double-digit growth. China’s role as a “world market” continues to generate positive spillover effects globally. A more open China will remain a steady anchor for the world economy as it navigates challenges.

The year 2026 marks the opening of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). Stable economic growth provides a solid foundation for a strong start to this new phase, while also serving as a stabilizer for the global economy amid turbulent conditions. China will continue to inject sustained confidence and strong momentum into global development.

Foreign

Coastal wetland conservation fuels eco-tourism boom in E China

Published

1 day ago

April 27, 2026

Our Reporter

By Yao Xueqing, People’s Daily

Along the coast of Yancheng, Jiangsu province in east China lies what many call a “paradise for migratory birds.” Each year, millions of birds from around the world stop here to rest, molt, and overwinter, drawing roughly one million visitors who follow in their wake.

This is the Tiaozini wetland, situated in the Dongtai Coastal Economic Zone of Yancheng, Jiangsu province. As an important part of the Yellow Sea Wetland, one of the world’s largest intertidal wetland systems, the Tiaozini wetland covers an area of 86,000 hectares and serves as a key node along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.

In recent years, local authorities have implemented measures such as shoreline restoration, ecological governance, and the creation of high-tide roosting sites for migratory birds, steadily expanding the “circle of feathered friends.”

This commitment to harmonious coexistence between humans and nature has spurred the growth of bird-watching tourism. The region is now pursuing a high-quality development path that successfully links ecological protection with tourism growth and increased local prosperity.

Each April, the wetland comes alive as spring migration begins. At a monitoring center, wetland manager Zhang Hailong tracks bird movements and breeding patterns. “In recent years, we’ve introduced smart monitoring systems,” he explained. “At what we call the ‘720 Highland,’ we’ve installed 13 panoramic cameras equipped with AI-powered bird recognition, allowing us to monitor bird activities around the clock.”

What exactly is the “720 Highland?” “During the twice-daily high tides, the mudflats are submerged, and birds that feed there need a place to rest,” said Du Hua, head of the administrative committee of Dongtai Coastal Economic Zone.

Starting in 2020, the area transformed a 720-mu (about 48 hectares) former fishpond into an elevated roosting site by reshaping the terrain and restoring wetland ecology, following the principle of prioritizing natural recovery with moderate human intervention. The site effectively serves as a “tarmac” for migratory birds, a fixed high-tide refuge. In the autumn of that year, it hosted as many as 58,000 waterbirds in a single day.

In 2022, restoration efforts expanded to Chuanshui Bay in the northern part of Tiaozini, where aquaculture ponds were converted back into wetlands, creating a larger version of the original habitat. The improved ecosystem has attracted not only large numbers of waterbirds but also wildlife such as milu deer and hares. By December 2025, the Tiaozini area had recorded 420 bird species, including 23 under first-class state-level protection and 74 under second-class state-level protection.

A sightseeing bus service operates regularly along a coastal tourism highway, traveling into the depths of the Tiaozini wetland and stopping beside a lake-like expanse. Amidst interweaving bird calls of varying pitches, large flocks of waterbirds are seen foraging and pacing.

“That one with the spoon-shaped bill and black face is the black-faced spoonbill. And the elegant black-and-white bird with the upturned bill is the pied avocet,” said bird guide Ding Jianming, effortlessly identifying species for 20 families participating in a bird-watching study tour.

Nearby, a science exhibition hall offers visitors a deeper understanding of coastal evolution through videos and specimen displays.

Stepping outside at low tide, visitors were treated to a spectacular scene: flocks of birds taking off from the “720 Highland” and flying toward the exposed mudflats to feed.

“It’s breathtaking,” said Pan Jing, a tourist from Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province. “I discovered this hidden gem last autumn and brought my whole family here this spring.”

“The Yellow Sea mudflats have become a ‘goldmine’ for eco-tourism,” said Chang Wei, deputy director of the administrative committee of the Dongtai Coastal Economic Zone.

Leveraging its ecological assets, the region is diversifying its offerings. It has established a professional bird-watching system, including curated routes, high-powered binoculars, trained interpreters, and expert bird guides, as well as immersive virtual reality and 3D experiences. Concurrently, it is expanding eco-tourism formats by introducing bird-watching competitions, photography tours, and sporting events such as wetland cycling races, triathlons and half marathons. . This blend of nature, culture, and sport shifts the focus from simple sightseeing to multi-dimensional experiences.

The result is a year-round tourism calendar: bird-watching in spring, coastal foraging in summer, photography camps in autumn, and flamingo spotting in winter. Today, Tiaozini attracts around 1 million visitors annually.

As bird-watching tourism takes off, local communities are also reaping the benefits.

Badou village in Jianggang township, just north of Tiaozini, is now a lush and picturesque destination. 64-year-old Kong Xiangjin comes from a long line of fishermen. In 2021, he renovated an unused house and opened a guesthouse called “Old Fisherman’s Inn,” which has since seen steadily growing business.

A few years ago, the village has also set up a tourism company. In addition to livestream e-commerce, it has introduced souvenir gift boxes featuring local delicacies such as marinated shrimp and raw pickled crab.

More recently, it has developed creative cultural products inspired by the wetland, such as canvas bags themed on local clams, power banks modeled after mud snails, and T-shirts featuring the endangered spoon-billed sandpiper.

“Eco-tourism has opened up a new path for boosting rural incomes,” says Liu Jun, Party head of Jianggang township. With homestays as a key driver, the township has expanded related industries including local dining, cultural merchandise, and specialty agricultural products.

Today, more than 1,500 people in the township are engaged in tourism, and in 2025, the township welcomed over 100,000 visitors, generating more than 5 million yuan ($733,327) in additional income for local residents.

Foreign

China launches airborne eye hospital to deliver care where it’s needed most

Published

1 week ago

April 19, 2026

Our Reporter

By Fang Min, Jiang Xuehong, People’s Daily

China has taken a major step forward in mobile healthcare by launching a domestically developed “flying eye hospital,” bringing high-quality ophthalmic services directly to patients in need. The initiative represents a new model of integrated air-ground medical support, designed to extend advanced care to remote and underserved areas.

On the morning of Dec. 18, 2025, at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan province, a homegrown C909 aircraft emblazoned with the words Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center Flying Eye Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University was parked quietly on the tarmac. Inside, instead of rows of passenger seats, the cabin had been transformed into a fully functional ophthalmic surgical suite.

Maintained at a constant temperature of 22 degrees Celsius, the cabin was divided into a waiting area, a buffer zone, and an operating room. It was equipped with surgical microscopes, sterile workstations, patient monitors, and remote consultation terminals, forming a standard ophthalmic operating environment adapted for aviation conditions.

“We spent three years refining the system to meet the standards of a ground-based operating room,” said Lin Haotian, director of the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center and president of the flying eye hospital. “Not only is the equipment comprehensive, but the standards are rigorous. Before any procedure, the cabin undergoes multiple rounds of surface and air sterilization, followed by at least two rounds of testing over 48 hours to ensure compliance.”

That morning, a patient surnamed Huang, who had developed a cataract due to eye trauma and was experiencing impaired vision and difficulty walking independently, was assisted into the operating room. The surgical team reassured him throughout the procedure, which lasted just 15 minutes.

When the bandage was removed, Huang cautiously opened his eye and quickly realized he could see again. The success of the operation marked the first cataract surgery performed aboard a domestically produced aircraft, underscoring China’s progress in building a flexible, mobile healthcare infrastructure.

“I never imagined I would have surgery on a plane,” Huang said, standing on his own and taking in the cabin around him. “It was fast and effective. I can see again. Thank you!”

According to Lin, ophthalmic procedures are particularly well suited to mobile medical platforms due to their relatively short duration and the high level of equipment integration required.

In some of the remote regions in China, geographic constraints and limited access to advanced medical facilities have long prevented patients from receiving timely eye care, sometimes resulting in avoidable vision loss. The airborne hospital offers a solution by rapidly delivering specialized services to where they are most needed.

The concept of an airborne hospital is not unfamiliar in China. In 1982, an aircraft operated by the international nonprofit organization Orbis International visited China, introducing advanced medical equipment and expertise that profoundly influenced Chinese ophthalmologists. This experience planted a seed of aspiration: China would one day develop its own flying eye hospital.

Realizing this vision required coordinated efforts, from equipping the aircraft with a 5G-enabled mobile eye clinic system and assembling trained flight crews, to ensuring ground support and building a professional operations team. Today, that vision has entered clinical application.

Following the successful operation in Zhengzhou, the flying eye hospital quickly moved into broader use.

On March 19, 2026, specialists from the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center performed eight sight-restoring surgeries aboard the aircraft for residents of Qionghai in south China’s Hainan province. Prior to the surgeries, a 5G-enabled mobile screening vehicle was dispatched to local townships, conducting preliminary examinations for more than 600 people. Patients requiring surgery completed pre-operative checks at local hospitals before boarding the aircraft.

Among the first beneficiaries were elderly patients with limited mobility. For them, the flying hospital brought specialized care directly to their communities, demonstrating the tangible impact of AI-integrated mobile healthcare.

Looking ahead, the domestically developed C909 flying eye hospital will continue serving remote regions across China. Plans include extending operations overseas to deliver vision care to underserved populations while collaborating with local institutions to enhance ophthalmic capabilities through training and technology transfer.