The 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was successfully convened in Beijing from 15th to 18th July, 2024. The session adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization, put forward more than 300 important reform measures, anchored the important objectives of improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance, and sent clear signal of further promoting high-quality development and expanding high-level opening-up, which marks another important milestone on the new journey of Chinese modernization.
China will promote reform through opening up and embrace broader horizons on the path of Chinese modernization. Reform and opening up have been the magic key for the CPC and Chinese people to catch up with the times in great strides. It was stated at the session that China must remain committed to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world and continue to promote reform through opening up. Leveraging the strengths of an enormous market, China will enhance its capacity for opening up and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy while expanding cooperation with other countries. China will deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, and improve the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. In the first half of this year, China’s GDP increased 5% on a year-on-year basis and contributed 1/3 of global economic growth. The total value of imports and exports of goods in trade reached 21.17 trillion RMB, increasing 6.1% compared with the same period of last year with continuous growth on quality and fast growth on scale. China will continue to embrace the world with openness and make new contributions to an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.
China will promote reform through innovation and push the path of Chinese modernization further and further. The session emphasized that China must fully implement the strategy of invigorating the nation through science and education, the strategy of developing a quality workforce, and the innovation-driven development strategy, make coordinated efforts to promote integrated reform of institutions and mechanisms pertaining to education, sci-tech and talent, and improve the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide, so as to boost the overall performance of the country’s innovation system. Since the new era from 2012, facing the fierce competition brought by new rounds of sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation, China has put innovation at the core in advancing its modernization. In 2023, the total R&D expenditure in society reached 3.3278 trillion RMB, ranking the 2nd in the world. China has harvested a series of home-made innovation outcomes in cutting-edge fields like quantum information, bio-pharmacy and etc., and made important breakthroughs on strategic and high-tech areas such as manned-spaceship, Lunar and Martian exploration, satellite navigation, deep-sea and deep-earth exploration, super computer, large plane manufacture and so on. The high and new technology industries represented by the new generation of IT, high-end equipment, aeronautics and astronautics have developed and grown stronger. China will adhere to the new development philosophy with innovation at the core, promoting the development and growth of new quality productive forces to become the strong driving and supporting force of Chinese modernization.
China will promote reform through cultural vigorousness and propel the path of Chinese modernization more and more stable. Chinese modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement. The session emphasized the importance of fine Chinese traditional culture inheritance, establishment of Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) implementation mechanism, and facilitation of both outbound and inbound visits to promote broader international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. Since President Xi Jinping proposed GCI last year, it has received positive responses and wide support from the international community at large. This June, UN passed the China-proposed resolution to establish International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, providing a global platform for eliminating discrimination and prejudice, and fostering understanding and trust among different civilizations. China will firmly implement GCI, promote common values for all humankind, strengthen inheritance and innovation of the civilizations, deepen international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, so as to make the world a vibrant garden with diverse and blooming civilizations.
China will promote reform through green development and advance the path of Chinese modernization towards a more environment-friendly direction. Chinese modernization is the modernization with harmony between humanity and nature. It was stated at the session that China must improve ecological conservation systems, make concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, pursue green development, and boost economic growth, actively respond to climate change, and move faster to improve the systems and mechanisms for applying the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, China has helped reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by about 2.83 billion metric tons, with its forestry area increasing for 40 consecutive years, renewable energy accounting for 52.9% of the total installed capacity, and wind power and photovoltaic products exported to more than 200 countries and regions around the world.
With a view to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China will take continuous and concrete measures to address climate change, protect Mother Earth with cooperative efforts, adhere to ecological environmental protection, promote green, low-carbon and sustainable development, so as to ensure the future generations can see green mountains andclear water where they will bear nostalgia.
The future blueprint has been drawn out and the magnificent scroll has just been unfolded. Under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and following the guideline of the 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, the Chinese people will pool collective wisdom and strength, and forge ahead with enterprise, to build China into a great country and move towards national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization by further deepening reform comprehensively.
China and Brunei are close neighbors across the sea, trustworthy friends and partners of common development. The two countries have set an example of harmonious coexistence and mutually beneficial and win-win interactions between countries of different sizes. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than 30 years ago, China and Brunei have deepened political mutual trust, harvested rich fruits in cooperation across all fields, especially under the framework of Belt and Road cooperation, and maintained coordination in regional and international affairs, serving the interests of both countries and peoples and contributing to regional peace and stability. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 40th anniversary of Brunei’s Independence. China’s new developments in further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization will surely provide new opportunities and open up new horizons for Brunei’s development and bilateral cooperation. China is willing to remain the good neighbor, good friend and good partner of Brunei, further synchronize bilateral development strategies, deepen friendly exchanges and practical cooperation across the board, and enhance coordination in regional and international affairs. Just as a Malay proverb goes, Berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing (together we share both blessings and hardships), china is determined to join hands with Brunei, making unremitting efforts to enrich China-Brunei strategic cooperative partnership towards building a China-Brunei community with a shared future.
