Tuesday, December 18, 2018

【习近平:在庆祝改革开放40周年大会上的讲话】

【习近平:在庆祝改革开放40周年大会上的讲话】 2018-12-18 来源:新华网 (全文)   新华社北京12月18日电 在庆祝改革开放40周年大会上的讲话 (2018年12月18日) 习近平   同志们,朋友们:   1978年12月18日,在中华民族历史上,在中国共产党历史上,在中华人民共和国历史上,都必将是载入史册的重要日子。这一天,我们党召开十一届三中全会,实现新中国成立以来党的历史上具有深远意义的伟大转折,开启了改革开放和社会主义现代化的伟大征程。   今天,我们在这里隆重集会,回顾改革开放40年的光辉历程,总结改革开放的伟大成就和宝贵经验,动员全党全国各族人民在新时代继续把改革开放推向前进,为实现“两个一百年”奋斗目标、实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦不懈奋斗。   同志们、朋友们!   党的十一届三中全会是在党和国家面临何去何从的重大历史关头召开的。当时,世界经济快速发展,科技进步日新月异,而“文化大革命”十年内乱导致我国经济濒临崩溃的边缘,人民温饱都成问题,国家建设百业待兴。党内外强烈要求纠正“文化大革命”的错误,使党和国家从危难中重新奋起。邓小平同志指出:“如果现在再不实行改革,我们的现代化事业和社会主义事业就会被葬送。”   在邓小平同志领导下和老一辈革命家支持下,党的十一届三中全会冲破长期“左”的错误的严重束缚,批评“两个凡是”的错误方针,充分肯定必须完整、准确地掌握毛泽东思想的科学体系,高度评价关于真理标准问题的讨论,果断结束“以阶级斗争为纲”,重新确立马克思主义的思想路线、政治路线、组织路线。从此,我国改革开放拉开了大幕。   我们党作出实行改革开放的历史性决策,是基于对党和国家前途命运的深刻把握,是基于对社会主义革命和建设实践的深刻总结,是基于对时代潮流的深刻洞察,是基于对人民群众期盼和需要的深刻体悟。邓小平同志指出:“贫穷不是社会主义”,“我们要赶上时代,这是改革要达到的目的”。   历史发展有其规律,但人在其中不是完全消极被动的。只要把握住历史发展大势,抓住历史变革时机,奋发有为,锐意进取,人类社会就能更好前进。   改革开放是我们党的一次伟大觉醒,正是这个伟大觉醒孕育了我们党从理论到实践的伟大创造。改革开放是中国人民和中华民族发展史上一次伟大革命,正是这个伟大革命推动了中国特色社会主义事业的伟大飞跃!   同志们、朋友们!   建立中国共产党、成立中华人民共和国、推进改革开放和中国特色社会主义事业,是五四运动以来我国发生的三大历史性事件,是近代以来实现中华民族伟大复兴的三大里程碑。   以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人,把马克思列宁主义基本原理同中国革命具体实践结合起来,创立了毛泽东思想,团结带领全党全国各族人民,经过长期浴血奋斗,完成了新民主主义革命,建立了中华人民共和国,确立了社会主义基本制度,成功实现了中国历史上最深刻最伟大的社会变革,为当代中国一切发展进步奠定了根本政治前提和制度基础。在探索过程中,虽然经历了严重曲折,但党在社会主义革命和建设中取得的独创性理论成果和巨大成就,为在新的历史时期开创中国特色社会主义提供了宝贵经验、理论准备、物质基础。   党的十一届三中全会以后,以邓小平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人,团结带领全党全国各族人民,深刻总结我国社会主义建设正反两方面经验,借鉴世界社会主义历史经验,创立了邓小平理论,作出把党和国家工作中心转移到经济建设上来、实行改革开放的历史性决策,深刻揭示社会主义本质,确立社会主义初级阶段基本路线,明确提出走自己的路、建设中国特色社会主义,科学回答了建设中国特色社会主义的一系列基本问题,制定了到21世纪中叶分三步走、基本实现社会主义现代化的发展战略,成功开创了中国特色社会主义。   党的十三届四中全会以后,以江泽民同志为主要代表的中国共产党人,团结带领全党全国各族人民,坚持党的基本理论、基本路线,加深了对什么是社会主义、怎样建设社会主义和建设什么样的党、怎样建设党的认识,积累了治党治国新的宝贵经验,形成了“三个代表”重要思想。在国内外形势十分复杂、世界社会主义出现严重曲折的严峻考验面前,捍卫了中国特色社会主义,确立了社会主义市场经济体制的改革目标和基本框架,确立了社会主义初级阶段的基本经济制度和分配制度,开创全面改革开放新局面,推进党的建设新的伟大工程,成功把中国特色社会主义推向21世纪。   党的十六大以后,以胡锦涛同志为主要代表的中国共产党人,团结带领全党全国各族人民,坚持以邓小平理论和“三个代表”重要思想为指导,根据新的发展要求,深刻认识和回答了新形势下实现什么样的发展、怎样发展等重大问题,形成了科学发展观,抓住重要战略机遇期,在全面建设小康社会进程中推进实践创新、理论创新、制度创新,强调坚持以人为本、全面协调可持续发展,形成中国特色社会主义事业总体布局,着力保障和改善民生,促进社会公平正义,推动建设和谐世界,推进党的执政能力建设和先进性建设,成功在新的历史起点上坚持和发展了中国特色社会主义。   党的十八大以来,党中央团结带领全党全国各族人民,全面审视国际国内新的形势,通过总结实践、展望未来,深刻回答了新时代坚持和发展什么样的中国特色社会主义、怎样坚持和发展中国特色社会主义这个重大时代课题,形成了新时代中国特色社会主义思想,坚持统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局,坚持稳中求进工作总基调,对党和国家各方面工作提出一系列新理念新思想新战略,推动党和国家事业发生历史性变革、取得历史性成就,中国特色社会主义进入了新时代。我们以巨大的政治勇气和智慧,提出全面深化改革总目标是完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化,着力增强改革系统性、整体性、协同性,着力抓好重大制度创新,着力提升人民群众获得感、幸福感、安全感,推出1600多项改革方案,啃下了不少硬骨头,闯过了不少急流险滩,改革呈现全面发力、多点突破、蹄疾步稳、纵深推进的局面。   艰难困苦,玉汝于成。40年来,我们解放思想、实事求是,大胆地试、勇敢地改,干出了一片新天地。从实行家庭联产承包、乡镇企业异军突起、取消农业税牧业税和特产税到农村承包地“三权”分置、打赢脱贫攻坚战、实施乡村振兴战略,从兴办深圳等经济特区、沿海沿边沿江沿线和内陆中心城市对外开放到加入世界贸易组织、共建“一带一路”、设立自由贸易试验区、谋划中国特色自由贸易港、成功举办首届中国国际进口博览会,从“引进来”到“走出去”,从搞好国营大中小企业、发展个体私营经济到深化国资国企改革、发展混合所有制经济,从单一公有制到公有制为主体、多种所有制经济共同发展和坚持“两个毫不动摇”,从传统的计划经济体制到前无古人的社会主义市场经济体制再到使市场在资源配置中起决定性作用和更好发挥政府作用,从以经济体制改革为主到全面深化经济、政治、文化、社会、生态文明体制和党的建设制度改革,党和国家机构改革、行政管理体制改革、依法治国体制改革、司法体制改革、外事体制改革、社会治理体制改革、生态环境督察体制改革、国家安全体制改革、国防和军队改革、党的领导和党的建设制度改革、纪检监察制度改革等一系列重大改革扎实推进,各项便民、惠民、利民举措持续实施,使改革开放成为当代中国最显著的特征、最壮丽的气象。   同志们、朋友们!   改革开放40年来,从开启新时期到跨入新世纪,从站上新起点到进入新时代,40年风雨同舟,40年披荆斩棘,40年砥砺奋进,我们党引领人民绘就了一幅波澜壮阔、气势恢宏的历史画卷,谱写了一曲感天动地、气壮山河的奋斗赞歌。   ——40年来,我们始终坚持解放思想、实事求是、与时俱进、求真务实,坚持马克思主义指导地位不动摇,坚持科学社会主义基本原则不动摇,勇敢推进理论创新、实践创新、制度创新、文化创新以及各方面创新,不断赋予中国特色社会主义以鲜明的实践特色、理论特色、民族特色、时代特色,形成了中国特色社会主义道路、理论、制度、文化,以不可辩驳的事实彰显了科学社会主义的鲜活生命力,社会主义的伟大旗帜始终在中国大地上高高飘扬!   ——40年来,我们始终坚持以经济建设为中心,不断解放和发展社会生产力,我国国内生产总值由3679亿元增长到2017年的82.7万亿元,年均实际增长9.5%,远高于同期世界经济2.9%左右的年均增速。我国国内生产总值占世界生产总值的比重由改革开放之初的1.8%上升到15.2%,多年来对世界经济增长贡献率超过30%。我国货物进出口总额从206亿美元增长到超过4万亿美元,累计使用外商直接投资超过2万亿美元,对外投资总额达到1.9万亿美元。我国主要农产品产量跃居世界前列,建立了全世界最完整的现代工业体系,科技创新和重大工程捷报频传。我国基础设施建设成就显著,信息畅通,公路成网,铁路密布,高坝矗立,西气东输,南水北调,高铁飞驰,巨轮远航,飞机翱翔,天堑变通途。现在,我国是世界第二大经济体、制造业第一大国、货物贸易第一大国、商品消费第二大国、外资流入第二大国,我国外汇储备连续多年位居世界第一,中国人民在富起来、强起来的征程上迈出了决定性的步伐!   ——40年来,我们始终坚持中国特色社会主义政治发展道路,不断深化政治体制改革,发展社会主义民主政治,党和国家领导体制日益完善,全面依法治国深入推进,中国特色社会主义法律体系日益健全,人民当家作主的制度保障和法治保障更加有力,人权事业全面发展,爱国统一战线更加巩固,人民依法享有和行使民主权利的内容更加丰富、渠道更加便捷、形式更加多样,掌握着自己命运的中国人民焕发出前所未有的积极性、主动性、创造性,在改革开放和社会主义现代化建设中展现出气吞山河的强大力量!   ——40年来,我们始终坚持发展社会主义先进文化,加强社会主义精神文明建设,培育和践行社会主义核心价值观,传承和弘扬中华优秀传统文化,坚持以科学理论引路指向,以正确舆论凝心聚力,以先进文化塑造灵魂,以优秀作品鼓舞斗志,爱国主义、集体主义、社会主义精神广为弘扬,时代楷模、英雄模范不断涌现,文化艺术日益繁荣,网信事业快速发展,全民族理想信念和文化自信不断增强,国家文化软实力和中华文化影响力大幅提升。改革开放铸就的伟大改革开放精神,极大丰富了民族精神内涵,成为当代中国人民最鲜明的精神标识!   ——40年来,我们始终坚持在发展中保障和改善民生,全面推进幼有所育、学有所教、劳有所得、病有所医、老有所养、住有所居、弱有所扶,不断改善人民生活、增进人民福祉。全国居民人均可支配收入由171元增加到2.6万元,中等收入群体持续扩大。我国贫困人口累计减少7.4亿人,贫困发生率下降94.4个百分点,谱写了人类反贫困史上的辉煌篇章。教育事业全面发展,九年义务教育巩固率达93.8%。我国建成了包括养老、医疗、低保、住房在内的世界最大的社会保障体系,基本养老保险覆盖超过9亿人,医疗保险覆盖超过13亿人。常住人口城镇化率达到58.52%,上升40.6个百分点。居民预期寿命由1981年的67.8岁提高到2017年的76.7岁。我国社会大局保持长期稳定,成为世界上最有安全感的国家之一。粮票、布票、肉票、鱼票、油票、豆腐票、副食本、工业券等百姓生活曾经离不开的票证已经进入了历史博物馆,忍饥挨饿、缺吃少穿、生活困顿这些几千年来困扰我国人民的问题总体上一去不复返了!   ——40年来,我们始终坚持保护环境和节约资源,坚持推进生态文明建设,生态文明制度体系加快形成,主体功能区制度逐步健全,节能减排取得重大进展,重大生态保护和修复工程进展顺利,生态环境治理明显加强,积极参与和引导应对气候变化国际合作,中国人民生于斯、长于斯的家园更加美丽宜人!   ——40年来,我们始终坚持党对军队的绝对领导,不断推进国防和军队现代化,推进人民军队实现革命性重塑,武器装备取得历史性突破,治军方式发生根本性转变,革命化现代化正规化水平显著提高,人民军队维护国家主权、安全、发展利益的能力显著增强,成为保卫人民幸福生活、保卫祖国和世界和平牢不可破的强大力量!   ——40年来,我们始终坚持推进祖国和平统一大业,实施“一国两制”基本方针,相继恢复对香港、澳门行使主权,洗雪了中华民族百年屈辱。我们坚持一个中国原则和“九二共识”,加强两岸经济文化交流合作,推动两岸关系和平发展,坚决反对和遏制“台独”分裂势力,牢牢掌握两岸关系发展主导权和主动权。海内外全体中华儿女的民族认同感、文化认同感大大增强,同心共筑中国梦的意志更加坚强!   ——40年来,我们始终坚持独立自主的和平外交政策,始终不渝走和平发展道路、奉行互利共赢的开放战略,坚定维护国际关系基本准则,维护国际公平正义。我们实现由封闭半封闭到全方位开放的历史转变,积极参与经济全球化进程,为推动人类共同发展作出了应有贡献。我们积极推动建设开放型世界经济、构建人类命运共同体,促进全球治理体系变革,旗帜鲜明反对霸权主义和强权政治,为世界和平与发展不断贡献中国智慧、中国方案、中国力量。我国日益走近世界舞台中央,成为国际社会公认的世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者!   ——40年来,我们始终坚持加强和改善党的领导,积极应对在长期执政和改革开放条件下党面临的各种风险考验,持续推进党的建设新的伟大工程,保持党的先进性和纯洁性,保持党同人民群众的血肉联系。我们积极探索共产党执政规律、社会主义建设规律、人类社会发展规律,不断开辟马克思主义中国化新境界。我们坚持党要管党、从严治党,净化党内政治生态,持之以恒正风肃纪,大力整治形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风,以零容忍态度严厉惩治腐败,反腐败斗争取得压倒性胜利。我们党在革命性锻造中坚定走在时代前列,始终是中国人民和中华民族的主心骨!   40年春风化雨、春华秋实,改革开放极大改变了中国的面貌、中华民族的面貌、中国人民的面貌、中国共产党的面貌。中华民族迎来了从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃!中国特色社会主义迎来了从创立、发展到完善的伟大飞跃!中国人民迎来了从温饱不足到小康富裕的伟大飞跃!中华民族正以崭新姿态屹立于世界的东方!   40年来取得的成就不是天上掉下来的,更不是别人恩赐施舍的,而是全党全国各族人民用勤劳、智慧、勇气干出来的!我们用几十年时间走完了发达国家几百年走过的工业化历程。在中国人民手中,不可能成为了可能。我们为创造了人间奇迹的中国人民感到无比自豪、无比骄傲!   在这里,我代表党中央,向各条战线为改革开放和社会主义现代化建设贡献了智慧和力量的广大工人、农民、知识分子、干部、解放军指战员、武警部队官兵、公安干警,向各民主党派和无党派人士、各人民团体和各界爱国人士,致以崇高的敬意!向为祖国改革开放和现代化建设作出积极努力的香港特别行政区同胞、澳门特别行政区同胞、台湾同胞和海外侨胞,致以诚挚的问候!向一切关心和支持中国改革开放和现代化建设的外国朋友和世界各国人民,表示衷心的感谢!   同志们、朋友们!   40年的实践充分证明,党的十一届三中全会以来我们党团结带领全国各族人民开辟的中国特色社会主义道路、理论、制度、文化是完全正确的,形成的党的基本理论、基本路线、基本方略是完全正确的。   40年的实践充分证明,中国发展为广大发展中国家走向现代化提供了成功经验、展现了光明前景,是促进世界和平与发展的强大力量,是中华民族对人类文明进步作出的重大贡献。   40年的实践充分证明,改革开放是党和人民大踏步赶上时代的重要法宝,是坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的必由之路,是决定当代中国命运的关键一招,也是决定实现“两个一百年”奋斗目标、实现中华民族伟大复兴的关键一招。   只有顺应历史潮流,积极应变,主动求变,才能与时代同行。“行之力则知愈进,知之深则行愈达。”改革开放40年积累的宝贵经验是党和人民弥足珍贵的精神财富,对新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义有着极为重要的指导意义,必须倍加珍惜、长期坚持,在实践中不断丰富和发展。   第一,必须坚持党对一切工作的领导,不断加强和改善党的领导。改革开放40年的实践启示我们:中国共产党领导是中国特色社会主义最本质的特征,是中国特色社会主义制度的最大优势。党政军民学,东西南北中,党是领导一切的。正是因为始终坚持党的集中统一领导,我们才能实现伟大历史转折、开启改革开放新时期和中华民族伟大复兴新征程,才能成功应对一系列重大风险挑战、克服无数艰难险阻,才能有力应变局、平风波、战洪水、防非典、抗地震、化危机,才能既不走封闭僵化的老路也不走改旗易帜的邪路,而是坚定不移走中国特色社会主义道路。坚持党的领导,必须不断改善党的领导,让党的领导更加适应实践、时代、人民的要求。在坚持党的领导这个决定党和国家前途命运的重大原则问题上,全党全国必须保持高度的思想自觉、政治自觉、行动自觉,丝毫不能动摇。   前进道路上,我们必须增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”,坚决维护党中央权威和集中统一领导,把党的领导贯彻和体现到改革发展稳定、内政外交国防、治党治国治军等各个领域。改革开放每一步都不是轻而易举的,未来必定会面临这样那样的风险挑战,甚至会遇到难以想象的惊涛骇浪。我们党要总揽全局、协调各方,坚持科学执政、民主执政、依法执政,完善党的领导方式和执政方式,提高党的执政能力和领导水平,不断提高党把方向、谋大局、定政策、促改革的能力和定力,确保改革开放这艘航船沿着正确航向破浪前行。   第二,必须坚持以人民为中心,不断实现人民对美好生活的向往。改革开放40年的实践启示我们:为中国人民谋幸福,为中华民族谋复兴,是中国共产党人的初心和使命,也是改革开放的初心和使命。我们党来自人民、扎根人民、造福人民,全心全意为人民服务是党的根本宗旨,必须以最广大人民根本利益为我们一切工作的根本出发点和落脚点,坚持把人民拥护不拥护、赞成不赞成、高兴不高兴作为制定政策的依据,顺应民心、尊重民意、关注民情、致力民生,既通过提出并贯彻正确的理论和路线方针政策带领人民前进,又从人民实践创造和发展要求中获得前进动力,让人民共享改革开放成果,激励人民更加自觉地投身改革开放和社会主义现代化建设事业。   前进道路上,我们必须始终把人民对美好生活的向往作为我们的奋斗目标,践行党的根本宗旨,贯彻党的群众路线,尊重人民主体地位,尊重人民群众在实践活动中所表达的意愿、所创造的经验、所拥有的权利、所发挥的作用,充分激发蕴藏在人民群众中的创造伟力。我们要健全民主制度、拓宽民主渠道、丰富民主形式、完善法治保障,确保人民依法享有广泛充分、真实具体、有效管用的民主权利。我们要着力解决人民群众所需所急所盼,让人民共享经济、政治、文化、社会、生态等各方面发展成果,有更多、更直接、更实在的获得感、幸福感、安全感,不断促进人的全面发展、全体人民共同富裕。   第三,必须坚持马克思主义指导地位,不断推进实践基础上的理论创新。改革开放40年的实践启示我们:创新是改革开放的生命。实践发展永无止境,解放思想永无止境。恩格斯说:“一切社会变迁和政治变革的终极原因,不应当到人们的头脑中,到人们对永恒的真理和正义的日益增进的认识中去寻找,而应当到生产方式和交换方式的变更中去寻找”。我们坚持理论联系实际,及时回答时代之问、人民之问,廓清困扰和束缚实践发展的思想迷雾,不断推进马克思主义中国化时代化大众化,不断开辟马克思主义发展新境界。   前进道路上,我们必须坚持以马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观、新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导,坚持解放思想和实事求是有机统一。发展21世纪马克思主义、当代中国马克思主义,是当代中国共产党人责无旁贷的历史责任。我们要强化问题意识、时代意识、战略意识,用深邃的历史眼光、宽广的国际视野把握事物发展的本质和内在联系,紧密跟踪亿万人民的创造性实践,借鉴吸收人类一切优秀文明成果,不断回答时代和实践给我们提出的新的重大课题,让当代中国马克思主义放射出更加灿烂的真理光芒。   第四,必须坚持走中国特色社会主义道路,不断坚持和发展中国特色社会主义。改革开放40年的实践启示我们:方向决定前途,道路决定命运。我们要把命运掌握在自己手中,就要有志不改、道不变的坚定。改革开放40年来,我们党全部理论和实践的主题是坚持和发展中国特色社会主义。在中国这样一个有着5000多年文明史、13亿多人口的大国推进改革发展,没有可以奉为金科玉律的教科书,也没有可以对中国人民颐指气使的教师爷。鲁迅先生说过:“什么是路?就是从没路的地方践踏出来的,从只有荆棘的地方开辟出来的。”中国特色社会主义道路是当代中国大踏步赶上时代、引领时代发展的康庄大道,必须毫不动摇走下去。   前进道路上,我们必须坚持以新时代中国特色社会主义思想和党的十九大精神为指导,增强“四个自信”,牢牢把握改革开放的前进方向。改什么、怎么改必须以是否符合完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的总目标为根本尺度,该改的、能改的我们坚决改,不该改的、不能改的坚决不改。我们要坚持党的基本路线,把以经济建设为中心同坚持四项基本原则、坚持改革开放这两个基本点统一于新时代中国特色社会主义伟大实践,长期坚持,决不动摇。   第五,必须坚持完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度,不断发挥和增强我国制度优势。改革开放40年的实践启示我们:制度是关系党和国家事业发展的根本性、全局性、稳定性、长期性问题。我们扭住完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度这个关键,为解放和发展社会生产力、解放和增强社会活力、永葆党和国家生机活力提供了有力保证,为保持社会大局稳定、保证人民安居乐业、保障国家安全提供了有力保证,为放手让一切劳动、知识、技术、管理、资本等要素的活力竞相迸发,让一切创造社会财富的源泉充分涌流不断建立了充满活力的体制机制。   前进道路上,我们必须毫不动摇巩固和发展公有制经济,毫不动摇鼓励、支持、引导非公有制经济发展,充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用,更好发挥政府作用,激发各类市场主体活力。我们要坚持党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机统一,坚持和完善人民代表大会制度、中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度、民族区域自治制度、基层群众自治制度,全面推进依法治国,巩固和发展最广泛的爱国统一战线,发展社会主义协商民主,用制度体系保证人民当家作主。我们要加强文化领域制度建设,举旗帜、聚民心、育新人、兴文化、展形象,积极培育和践行社会主义核心价值观,推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展,传承革命文化、发展先进文化,努力创造光耀时代、光耀世界的中华文化。我们要加强社会治理制度建设,不断促进社会公平正义,保持社会安定有序。我们要加强生态文明制度建设,实行最严格的生态环境保护制度。我们要坚决破除一切妨碍发展的体制机制障碍和利益固化藩篱,加快形成系统完备、科学规范、运行有效的制度体系,推动中国特色社会主义制度更加成熟更加定型。   第六,必须坚持以发展为第一要务,不断增强我国综合国力。改革开放40年的实践启示我们:解放和发展社会生产力,增强社会主义国家的综合国力,是社会主义的本质要求和根本任务。只有牢牢扭住经济建设这个中心,毫不动摇坚持发展是硬道理、发展应该是科学发展和高质量发展的战略思想,推动经济社会持续健康发展,才能全面增强我国经济实力、科技实力、国防实力、综合国力,才能为坚持和发展中国特色社会主义、实现中华民族伟大复兴奠定雄厚物质基础。   前进道路上,我们必须围绕解决好人民日益增长的美好生活需要和不平衡不充分的发展之间的矛盾这个社会主要矛盾,坚决贯彻创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享的发展理念,统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局,推动高质量发展,推动新型工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化同步发展,加快建设现代化经济体系,努力实现更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续的发展。我们要坚持以供给侧结构性改革为主线,积极转变发展方式、优化经济结构、转换增长动力,积极扩大内需,实施区域协调发展战略,实施乡村振兴战略,坚决打好防范化解重大风险、精准脱贫、污染防治的攻坚战。我们要坚持创新是第一动力、人才是第一资源的理念,实施创新驱动发展战略,完善国家创新体系,加快关键核心技术自主创新,为经济社会发展打造新引擎。我们要加强生态文明建设,牢固树立绿水青山就是金山银山的理念,形成绿色发展方式和生活方式,把我们伟大祖国建设得更加美丽,让人民生活在天更蓝、山更绿、水更清的优美环境之中。   第七,必须坚持扩大开放,不断推动共建人类命运共同体。改革开放40年的实践启示我们:开放带来进步,封闭必然落后。中国的发展离不开世界,世界的繁荣也需要中国。我们统筹国内国际两个大局,坚持对外开放的基本国策,实行积极主动的开放政策,形成全方位、多层次、宽领域的全面开放新格局,为我国创造了良好国际环境、开拓了广阔发展空间。   前进道路上,我们必须高举和平、发展、合作、共赢的旗帜,恪守维护世界和平、促进共同发展的外交政策宗旨,推动建设相互尊重、公平正义、合作共赢的新型国际关系。我们要尊重各国人民自主选择发展道路的权利,维护国际公平正义,倡导国际关系民主化,反对把自己的意志强加于人,反对干涉别国内政,反对以强凌弱。我们要发挥负责任大国作用,支持广大发展中国家发展,积极参与全球治理体系改革和建设,共同为建设持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界而奋斗。我们要支持开放、透明、包容、非歧视性的多边贸易体制,促进贸易投资自由化便利化,推动经济全球化朝着更加开放、包容、普惠、平衡、共赢的方向发展。我们要以共建“一带一路”为重点,同各方一道打造国际合作新平台,为世界共同发展增添新动力。中国决不会以牺牲别国利益为代价来发展自己,也决不放弃自己的正当权益。中国奉行防御性的国防政策,中国发展不对任何国家构成威胁。中国无论发展到什么程度都永远不称霸。   第八,必须坚持全面从严治党,不断提高党的创造力、凝聚力、战斗力。改革开放40年的实践启示我们:打铁必须自身硬。办好中国的事情,关键在党,关键在坚持党要管党、全面从严治党。我们党只有在领导改革开放和社会主义现代化建设伟大社会革命的同时,坚定不移推进党的伟大自我革命,敢于清除一切侵蚀党的健康肌体的病毒,使党不断自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高,不断增强党的政治领导力、思想引领力、群众组织力、社会号召力,才能确保党始终保持同人民群众的血肉联系。   前进道路上,我们必须按照新时代党的建设总要求,以政治建设为统领,不断推进党的建设新的伟大工程,不断增强全党团结统一和创造活力,不断增强全党执政本领,把党建设得更加坚强、更加有力。我们要坚持用时代发展要求审视自己,以强烈忧患意识警醒自己,以改革创新精神加强和完善自己,在应对风险挑战中锻炼提高,在解决党内存在的突出矛盾和问题中净化纯洁,不断提高管党治党水平。我们要坚持德才兼备、以德为先、任人唯贤,着力培养忠诚干净担当的高素质干部队伍和宏大的人才队伍。我们要以反腐败永远在路上的坚韧和执着,深化标本兼治,坚决清除一切腐败分子,保证干部清正、政府清廉、政治清明,为继续推进改革开放营造海晏河清的政治生态。   第九,必须坚持辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义世界观和方法论,正确处理改革发展稳定关系。改革开放40年的实践启示我们:我国是一个大国,决不能在根本性问题上出现颠覆性错误。我们坚持加强党的领导和尊重人民首创精神相结合,坚持“摸着石头过河”和顶层设计相结合,坚持问题导向和目标导向相统一,坚持试点先行和全面推进相促进,既鼓励大胆试、大胆闯,又坚持实事求是、善作善成,确保了改革开放行稳致远。   前进道路上,我们要增强战略思维、辩证思维、创新思维、法治思维、底线思维,加强宏观思考和顶层设计,坚持问题导向,聚焦我国发展面临的突出矛盾和问题,深入调查研究,鼓励基层大胆探索,坚持改革决策和立法决策相衔接,不断提高改革决策的科学性。我们要拿出抓铁有痕、踏石留印的韧劲,以钉钉子精神抓好落实,确保各项重大改革举措落到实处。我们既要敢为天下先、敢闯敢试,又要积极稳妥、蹄疾步稳,把改革发展稳定统一起来,坚持方向不变、道路不偏、力度不减,推动新时代改革开放走得更稳、走得更远。   同志们、朋友们!   坚持富国和强军相统一,建设同我国国际地位相称、同国家安全和发展利益相适应的巩固国防和强大军队,是我国社会主义现代化建设的战略任务。我们要全面贯彻新时代党的强军思想,坚持党对军队的绝对领导,把握世界新军事革命发展大势,坚持走中国特色强军之路,全面深化国防和军队改革,推进政治建军、改革强军、科技兴军、依法治军,建设一支听党指挥、能打胜仗、作风优良的人民军队,努力建设世界一流军队,为维护国家主权、安全、发展利益,为维护世界和平稳定,为实现中华民族伟大复兴提供坚强后盾。   “一国两制”伟大构想具有强大生命力。我们要全面准确贯彻“一国两制”、“港人治港”、“澳人治澳”、高度自治的方针,严格按照宪法和基本法办事,完善与基本法实施相关的制度和机制,保持香港、澳门长期繁荣稳定,支持和推动香港、澳门更好融入国家发展大局,让香港、澳门同胞同祖国人民共担民族复兴的历史责任、共享祖国繁荣富强的伟大荣光。   实现祖国完全统一,是全体中华儿女共同心愿,是中华民族根本利益所在。我们要坚持一个中国原则和“九二共识”,巩固和发展两岸关系和平发展的基础,深化两岸经济文化交流合作,造福两岸同胞。我们有坚定的政治决心和强大能力维护国家主权和领土完整,祖国的神圣领土一寸都不能分裂出去!   同志们、朋友们!   中国人民具有伟大梦想精神,中华民族充满变革和开放精神。几千年前,中华民族的先民们就秉持“周虽旧邦,其命维新”的精神,开启了缔造中华文明的伟大实践。自古以来,中国大地上发生了无数变法变革图强运动,留下了“治世不一道,便国不法古”等豪迈宣言。自古以来,中华民族就以“天下大同”、“协和万邦”的宽广胸怀,自信而又大度地开展同域外民族交往和文化交流,曾经谱写了万里驼铃万里波的浩浩丝路长歌,也曾经创造了万国衣冠会长安的盛唐气象。正是这种“天行健,君子以自强不息”、“地势坤,君子以厚德载物”的变革和开放精神,使中华文明成为人类历史上唯一一个绵延5000多年至今未曾中断的灿烂文明。以数千年大历史观之,变革和开放总体上是中国的历史常态。中华民族以改革开放的姿态继续走向未来,有着深远的历史渊源、深厚的文化根基。   我们这么大一个国家,就应该有雄心壮志。毛泽东同志说:“夺取全国胜利,这只是万里长征走完了第一步。如果这一步也值得骄傲,那是比较渺小的,更值得骄傲的还在后头。在过了几十年之后来看中国人民民主革命的胜利,就会使人们感觉那好像只是一出长剧的一个短小的序幕。剧是必须从序幕开始的,但序幕还不是高潮。”“我们不但善于破坏一个旧世界,我们还将善于建设一个新世界。”   改革开放之初,虽然我们国家大、人口多、底子薄,面对着重重困难和挑战,但我们对未来充满信心,设计了用70多年、分三步走基本实现社会主义现代化的宏伟蓝图,没有非凡的胆略、坚定的自信是作不出这样宏远的构想和决策的。   40年来,我们咬定青山不放松,风雨无阻朝着这个伟大目标前进。党的十九大对我国发展提出了更高的奋斗目标,形成了从全面建成小康社会到基本实现现代化、再到全面建成社会主义现代化强国的战略安排,发出了实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的最强音。   古人说:“事者,生于虑,成于务,失于傲。”伟大梦想不是等得来、喊得来的,而是拼出来、干出来的。我们现在所处的,是一个船到中流浪更急、人到半山路更陡的时候,是一个愈进愈难、愈进愈险而又不进则退、非进不可的时候。改革开放已走过千山万水,但仍需跋山涉水,摆在全党全国各族人民面前的使命更光荣、任务更艰巨、挑战更严峻、工作更伟大。在这个千帆竞发、百舸争流的时代,我们绝不能有半点骄傲自满、固步自封,也绝不能有丝毫犹豫不决、徘徊彷徨,必须统揽伟大斗争、伟大工程、伟大事业、伟大梦想,勇立潮头、奋勇搏击。   信仰、信念、信心,任何时候都至关重要。小到一个人、一个集体,大到一个政党、一个民族、一个国家,只要有信仰、信念、信心,就会愈挫愈奋、愈战愈勇,否则就会不战自败、不打自垮。无论过去、现在还是将来,对马克思主义的信仰,对中国特色社会主义的信念,对实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的信心,都是指引和支撑中国人民站起来、富起来、强起来的强大精神力量。   同志们、朋友们!   四十载惊涛拍岸,九万里风鹏正举。江河之所以能冲开绝壁夺隘而出,是因其积聚了千里奔涌、万壑归流的洪荒伟力。在近代以来漫长的历史进程中,中国人民经历了太多太多的磨难,付出了太多太多的牺牲,进行了太多太多的拼搏。现在,中国人民和中华民族在历史进程中积累的强大能量已经充分爆发出来了,为实现中华民族伟大复兴提供了势不可挡的磅礴力量。   建成社会主义现代化强国,实现中华民族伟大复兴,是一场接力跑,我们要一棒接着一棒跑下去,每一代人都要为下一代人跑出一个好成绩。   全党全国各族人民要更加紧密地团结在党中央周围,高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜,不忘初心,牢记使命,将改革开放进行到底,不断实现人民对美好生活的向往,在新时代创造中华民族新的更大奇迹!创造让世界刮目相看的新的更大奇迹! http://www.xinhuanet.com/…/lead…/2018-12/18/c_1123872025.htm See Translation

Sunday, October 14, 2018

DONALD TRUMP IS DRIVING A 21ST CENTURY ECONOMIC COLD WAR THAT WILL ACCELERATE AMERICAN WORLD ISOLATION (By Francis C W Fung, Ph.D.)

DONALD TRUMP IS DRIVING A 21ST CENTURY ECONOMIC COLD WAR THAT WILL ACCELERATE AMERICAN WORLD ISOLATION (By Francis C W Fung, Ph.D.) (I) SHOULD U.S. AND CHINA BE FRIENDS OR ENEMIES The whole idea of Hilary Clinton's pivot to Asia was to reclaim Asia and stop China's influence by diplomatic and military efforts. As a business man and under his economic adviser Peter Navaro's (author of Death by China) urge Trump decided to launch a trade war to add to the containment of China. On the surface the trade war is to re- balance American trade deficit and bring American jobs back. In reality trade war will not bring American jobs back due to many advantages China has in manufacturing other than low labor cost as detailed by CEO Cook of Apple Computer. The deeper reason is that Trump and his advisers see China as long term threat more than Russia. Together they see China as a economic and technology competitor that will one day overtake the U.S. They are scared of Build in China 2025 to upgrade 10 critical technologies to world leader position by 2025. These include robotics, AI, space exploration and biotech etc. This made in China 2025 project is so threatening to American technology leadership, the Trump inner circle leadership announced on Oct 1st China's national day that the U.S. China relation should be competition and not cooperation. The U.S. speaker of the occasion even quoted Confucian saying to validate his position by saying that the strategy of the time is to call a spade as a spade. So his conclusion of the time is that U.S. and China must be enemies. (2) TRUMP'S GRAND ECONOMIC STRATEGY TO CONTAIN CHINA BY TRADE WAR China under Deng Xiaoping and Xi Jingping's reform and open up policy became successful in catching up with the West in industrial revolution through willingness to learn and hard work. In fact in some areas such as high speed train and ecomerce China is actually ahead of the West. In ecomerce China has 700 million net citizens and twice the ecomerce volume of the U.S. China's high speed rail network is longer than the the whole world combined. Instead of recognizing China's true reasons of technological advance, Trump and his inner circle adviser, Navaro and Steve Bannon blame it on globalization and the alleged China cheating trade practice. These self appointed China experts think trade war can stop China's technology advance. But the reality is that it is too late to slow China. China has already reached the critical momentum that its research dollar is matching the U.S. and its patent applications has exceeded America. China's innovation has surpassed Silicon valley to the point that of the 10 highest unicorn start ups in the world more than half are in China. (III) TRUMP'S NATIONALISTIC TRADE WAR AGAINST THE WORLD Trump in his 2018 UNGA keynote speech advanced the concept that nation state is the central concept today. Nationalism requires the U.S. to make America great again. He believes that globalization puts America at a disadvantage and allows China to take advantage of the U.S. So he is promoting nationalism VS globalization. As he believes that nationalism is the growing tide, hoping to appeal to the world's fear of China's growth through globalization. On the other hand China is not a nation state as expounded by Zhang Wei Wei and Martin Jacques (author of When China Rules the World). As a civilization State China treasures its Confucian philosophy of community of common destiny (Tien Hsia Wei Kung). Under Xi Jingping's new era leadership of community of common destiny, China will promote his concept of shared future through the Belt and Road initiative to achieve win win development. Simply put Xi's unselfish diplomacy is to welcome all nations to ride China's train of development( See Xi's speeches at the 2017 Davos meeting, G20 and UNGA speeches.) Xi"s willingness to share China's dream with the whole world is in direct contrast to Trump's nation state selfish goal of make America great again. Trump's selfish goal will surely lead the U.S. to global isolation. (IV) TRUMP'S DRIVE FOR 21ST CENTURY ECONOMIC COLD WAR WILL LEAD TO TWO CONTENDING SYSTEMS AGAINST CHINA AND THE U.S. WILL NOT WIN. Contrary to trump's belief that by exploiting the current Western return to nation state selfishness will enable him to lead the world. First any fear of China's rise by globalization is only temporary. Ultimately globalization expands world trade and enables the whole world to grow. Under China's ancient wisdom of community of common destiny the whole world can truly reach win win harmony. The developing world needs help to achieve industrialization. To do that the developing world needs China's Belt and Road initiative to build various essential infrastructures,power generation and industrial centers to develop. Trump's idea of returning to nation state selfishness only benefits developed countries at the expense of developing countries. Not only Trump cannot slow China's continuing rise, it will drive more developing countries towards the B and R initiatives. In the short term Trump may drive the world into two systems but the U.S. will not win. China's growth momentum is strong enough to with stand Trump's aggressive push. As indicated before Make in China 2025 will succeed on target and B and R Initiative will gather more and more nations to join China's continuing globalization along the new silk road. This connectivity will include all Central Asia, Europe, South and East Asia, Africa and Latin America countries. U.S. won the 20th century ideology cold war against Russia because the Russian economic system is not competitive and collapsed under U.S. pressure. This time China's socialism with Chinese characteristics has proven competitive by its phenomenon growth and catching up through the last 40 years performance. China is already the largest world economy by purchasing power. By 2025 China will definitely surpass the U.S. technology wise and economy wise. During the 20th century cold war China joined the U.S. to team up against Russia. This time despite Trump's open wooing of Russia it has too much to loose to join the U.S. Russia needs most is to develop its economy. There is little America can help Russia on the economic front whereas Russia has a lot to gain by opening up its East and working with China on the B and R Initiative, Eastern Economic development and Arctic Silk Road initiatives. (V) CONTINUING HIS TRADE WAR AGAINST CHINA TRUMP WILL LOSE AND LOSE BIG In a deal with Trump, Jack Ma of Alibaba pledged to create one million job for the U.S. Because of the trade war Jack Ma redirected his energy towards Russia instead. AS pointed out earlier China's internet is gaining momentum faster than America. The two system internet world is already a reality. If Russia folds completely into the Chinese internet system so will Central Asia and Eastern Europe. With China's investment and infrastructure help to modernizing. Africa is growing with break neck speed there is no doubt China will lead and operate the African internet world. Economic wise if Xi Jingping's diplomacy of Band R Initiative and community of common destiny continue its current growth momentum the Chinese system of globalization will be so convincing EU will have a change of heart instead of tag along after Trump. Currently EU and Japan already indicated that they will cooperate with China on the B and R infrastructure projects (see the China Radio article" So Long as It Connects"). With North Korea situation stabilizing the new silk road is likely to extend from Japan, through Korea peninsular and all the way to China and Russia. Greater vision will always win over selfish smaller vision, especially the former will bring economic benefits. Thus Trump's selfish nation state diplomacy will not last long. Unlike the 20th century ideology cold war, this time because of Trump's shorter vision, the U.S. will lose the 21st century economic trade war and lose big, All the cards are stacked against Trump's shortsightedness. His art of the deal will collapse and be relegated to the dust bin of history!!! Francis C W Fung, Ph.D. Director General World Harmony Organization

Thursday, August 23, 2018

SOFT POWER WITH COMMUNITY OF COMMON DESTINY, SOFT POWER WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS.

SOFT POWER WITH COMMUNITY OF COMMON DESTINY, SOFT POWER WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS. Just read an inspiring article on "Rise and Fall of Soft Power" by Eric X. Li, my favorite author, the venture capitalist from Shanghai. In his article he details the rise of U.S. soft power after the second World War, driven by U.S. military victory and economic rise. This was followed by the global spread of U.S. universal value of democracy and liberalism. At the height of U.S. arrogance, President Bush Jr, launched the Iraq war to promote U.S. ideology. This led to devastating sufferings for Iraq and eventual decline of U.S. soft power at great cost to human life and economic well being both in U.S. and Iraq. In my humble way, I would like to high light Dr. Li's salient points to sound off my full support of his thoughts that need to be shared. The term soft power was first mentioned by Joseph Nye, adviser to Clinton, three decades ago. Originally he focused on U.S., China was never mentioned. In so doing he ignored the Confucian philosophy global influence prior to the rise of the West as if that long history of Chinese soft power never existed. This artful omission, subsequently led to the western false believe among U.S. think tanks that China never had soft power because of her lack of ideology. In the mean time China's soft power is reviving quietly as her military, economic, cultural, scientific and civic power is growing rapidly at the beginning of 21st Century. There is no doubt that Chinese influence is spreading widely under President Xi's Belt and Road initiative through the old Silk Road. On the other hand as China rises U.S. is showing relative decline because of inability to compete with China's rapid growth. Through the Belt and Road Initiative of infrastructure and communication building with the Belt and Road countries President Xi is promoting Chinese ancient value of Community of Common Destiny. Win Win mutual development is promoted for the developing world with out the force feeding of Chinese universal value. Countries along the belt and road that benefited from Chinese built infrastructure, communication net work and industries are encouraged to retain its political and civilization cultures. Political reform must grow from home turf not forced from outside as U.S. often ignore in forcing its ideology to the developing world. Granted the U.S. universal values such as freedom and democracy has intrinsic values in proper perspective and relavent application. In global diversity there are multitude of universal values. How about China's value of harmony, tolerance, right to develop, respect for the common good, meritocracy in governance and poverty alleviation and so no and so on. Traditionally China was fully aware of democracy by her ancient philosophers. One must not overlook the importance of the right emphasis on selected values during a country's different staged of development. When some countries today are still desperately poor, between democracy and the need to improve livelihood the choice is obvious. Not too long ago, when the U.S. social internet such as Facebook and Tweeter was fanning the Arab protest of dissatisfaction, the U.S. think tanks were in bliss and praising the power of the social net work as the greatest tool for freedom of speech. Hillary Clinton took to her self to preach women rights and internet freedom to condemn China in the hope of promoting Jasmine revolution in China. Little did Clinton mention China's phenomenal successful internet provider such as Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu and also China is leading the world in the number of self made young women billionaires. Today U.S. is feeling the threat of rising China and Russia, the U.S. government is screaming in unison for the social media to block so called 'fake news' by stepping up self censorship. What happened to U.S. pride of internet freedom and freedom of speech? The rise of China soft power without ideology is for all to see. China's rise to the largest trading power of the world form the poorest nation in a short 40 years is amazing. The same rise in the west took centuries. In response to false accusation of China threat, President Xi proclaimed that China's peaceful rise as "We do not export ideology, we do not export war, only poverty alleviation and community of common destiny for mutual win win development." No wonder the newly elected prime ministers of Pakistan and Malaysia in their acceptance speech both announced plans to increase cooperation with China and specifically mentioned learning from China on development and poverty alleviation. Soon the whole world will benefit from China's soft power in the form of Belt and Road initiative. This is what Dr. Epic X Li aptly described as the rise of world soft power with Chinese characteristics! By Francis C W Fung, Ph.D. Director General World Harmony Organization SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

SOFT POWER RISES NATURALLY WHEN COUNTRIES RISE, NOT NECESSARY BY IDEOLOGY

SOFT POWER WITH COMMUNITY OF COMMON DESTINY, SOFT POWER WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS. Just read an inspiring article on "Rise and Fall of Soft Power" by Eric X. Li, my favorite author, the venture capitalist from Shanghai. In his article he details the rise of U.S. soft power after the second World War, driven by U.S. military victory and economic rise. This was followed by the global spread of U.S. universal value of democracy and liberalism. At the height of U.S. arrogance, President Bush Jr, launched the Iraq war to promote U.S. ideology. This led to devastating sufferings for Iraq and eventual decline of U.S. soft power at great cost to human life and economic well being both in U.S. and Iraq. In my humble way, I would like to high light Dr. Li's salient points to sound off my full support of his thoughts that need to be shared. The term soft power was first mentioned by Joseph Nye, adviser to Clinton, three decades ago. Originally he focused on U.S., China was never mentioned. In so doing he ignored the Confucian philosophy global influence prior to the rise of the West as if that long history of Chinese soft power never existed. This artful omission, subsequently led to the western false believe among U.S. think tanks that China never had soft power because of her lack of ideology. In the mean time China's soft power is reviving quietly as her military, economic, cultural, scientific and civic power is growing rapidly at the beginning of 21st Century. There is no doubt that Chinese influence is spreading widely under President Xi's Belt and Road initiative through the old Silk Road. On the other hand as China rises U.S. is showing relative decline because of inability to compete with China's rapid growth. Through the Belt and Road Initiative of infrastructure and communication building with the Belt and Road countries President Xi is promoting Chinese ancient value of Community of Common Destiny. Win Win mutual development is promoted for the developing world with out the force feeding of Chinese universal value. Countries along the belt and road that benefited from Chinese built infrastructure, communication net work and industries are encouraged to retain its political and civilization cultures. Political reform must grow from home turf not forced from outside as U.S. often ignore in forcing its ideology to the developing world. Granted the U.S. universal values such as freedom and democracy has intrinsic values in proper perspective and relavent application. In global diversity there are multitude of universal values. How about China's value of harmony, tolerance, right to develop, respect for the common good, meritocracy in governance and poverty alleviation and so no and so on. Traditionally China was fully aware of democracy by her ancient philosophers. One must not overlook the importance of the right emphasis on selected values during a country's different staged of development. When some countries today are still desperately poor, between democracy and the need to improve livelihood the choice is obvious. Not too long ago, when the U.S. social internet such as Facebook and Tweeter was fanning the Arab protest of dissatisfaction, the U.S. think tanks were in bliss and praising the power of the social net work as the greatest tool for freedom of speech. Hillary Clinton took to her self to preach women rights and internet freedom to condemn China in the hope of promoting Jasmine revolution in China. Little did Clinton mention China's phenomenal successful internet provider such as Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu and also China is leading the world in the number of self made young women billionaires. Today U.S.is feeling the threat of rising China and Russia, the U.S. government is screaming in unison for the social media to block so called fake news by stepping up self censorship. What happened to U.S. pride of internet freedom and freedom of speech? The rise of China soft power without ideology is for all to see. China's rise to the largest trading power of the world form the poorest nation in a short 40 years is amazing. The same rise in the west took centuries. In response to false accusation of China threat, President Xi proclaimed that China's peaceful rise as "We do not export ideology, we do not export war, only poverty alleviation and community of common destiny for mutual win win development." No wonder the newly elected prime ministers of Pakistan and Malaysia in their acceptance speech both announced plans to increase cooperation with China and specifically mentioned learning from China on development and poverty alleviation. Soon the whole world will benefit from China's soft power in the form of Belt and Road initiative. This is what Dr. Epic X Li aptly described as the rise of world soft power with Chinese characteristics! By Francis C W Fung, Ph.D. Director General World Harmony Organization SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Saturday, August 26, 2017

BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE WILL DRIVE EAST AND WEST REBALANCE IN 21ST CENTURY, THE REJUNVENATION OF CHINA WILL THUS BRING HARMONY TO THE WORLD BY FRANCIS C W FUNG, PH.D.

BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE WILL DRIVE EAST AND WEST REBALANCE IN 21ST CENTURY, THE REJUNVENATION OF CHINA WILL THUS BRING HARMONY TO THE WORLD BY FRANCIS C W FUNG, PH.D. In 2013 President of China, Xi Jingping, announced his dream for China to return to its historical glory of world power. The China dream of rejuvenation is the most important dream of all Chinese people in modern time. The same year he also announced the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative to revive the ancient Silk Road to reconnect China with Europe through Central Asia via land and sea roads. By connecting the world through communities of common destiny with land and digital infrastructures, trade and people exchanges and sea ports he hopes to realize China rejuvenation by bringing win-win prosperity to the world. This noble goal is fully supported by the full spectrum of Chinese public including government officials, think tanks, universities and many other countries along the belt and Road initiative according to Nadege Rolland in her 2017 book titled “China’s Eurasian Century.” In the 2017 Belt and Road International Forum in Beijing, attended by over 100 world nations and thousands of leading business and press representatives, Xi delivered the keynote speech to reaffirm his goal of sharing China’s development with the world. Despite the overwhelming support of the B and R Initiative there remain some doubters such as the reigning power U.S. and the wannabe India. India went as far as to boycott the forum as the only major nation, out of sour grape mentality. Regardless of the many challenges in achieving such a grand holistic goal that will benefit the world by bringing prosperity and harmony, the Chinese nation is unified behind Xi Jingping to persist for the long term according to Nadege Rolland. In terms of historical perspective the present author wishes to offer following ideas and suggestions that may have important bearing on the long term success of the B and R Initiative. In her 2017 book, titled “The US v. China in Asia: A new Cold War” , Judd Woodward elucidated in detail how the US launches a nothing spared cold war to contain China’s rise. On surface this may seem to impede China’s progress, however on more in-depth analysis this actually will unite China behind Xi’s B and R Initiative. The US ascended to the only major power in the world is in no small measure due to the impetus of the 20th Century Cold War waged by the Soviet Union against the US. To counter the USSR, US fine-tuned the free world ideology to rally world nations behind her to mount her rise as world leader. We must be reminded that the word challenge in Chinese means danger and opportunity simultaneously. Likewise, the counter force to US extreme cold war against China is for China to unite behind Xi’s noble B and R initiative. Together with the support of the whole nation China can now focus on the B and R Initiative objectives to its eventual success. In the process, China can learn from the US experience of using think tanks, common values and commerce to expand her influence. The execution of B and R Initiative shall be gradually accomplished by all government, non-government, private business, state business, think tanks and cultural entities. Xi Jingping is right by placing state enterprise in the lead. China is unique in that her state enterprises have enormous resources that they can bring to bear to open the drive followed by private enterprises. Once the momentum is created, many smaller nations will willingly join because of their years of suffering under US hegemony. The philosophical guidance of B and R Initiative is Chinese Confucius teaching “The great way of community of common destiny” (Da Dao Zi Xin, Tien Hsia Wei Kung) advocated by Xi Jingping in many of his speeches. This Tien Hsia philosophy was the driving force that gave China’s 5000 years of peace and harmony. This is the open and inclusive philosophy that accepts diversity, equality, respectfulness without boundary, without prejudice that maintains the world in a dynamic balance. Just at the end, when the B and R initiative is fully implemented East and West rebalance will reach a dynamic harmony balance. This will be very different from US hegemony during 20th Century trying to force American standard and democracy on to developing nations by war. Regardless of its commonly accepted noble goal of peace and harmony through community of common destiny, B and R initiative will be resisted by US and India because of their own selfish desire to retain control and influence. However, US is on the decline because of its nationalistic withdrawal and turning inward under the Trump administration, while India has yet to become an economic and military power. During 20th Century the USSR had ambition to challenge the US but communism was not a competitive economic force. Currently US political grid lock and industrial decline will also render it ineffective to exert its leadership position acquired during 20th Century. Without the necessity of ideology forced feed to other nations, the Belt and Road Initiative philosophy of community of common destiny will grow harmoniously by infrastructure, digital and physical, commerce, people, and communication exchanges. Chinese win-win prosperity sharing can thus benefit the whole world without the need of one sided ideology to tie up the world. On the ground, Chinese business drivers such as high speed train, bike sharing, cashless society and Ecommerce and etc., voted most popular by Belt and Road Initiative citizens, will spread rapidly around the world by virtue of their popularity. With these and other Chinese commerce success, will follow Chinese culture and Tien Hsia philosophy just like US democracy followed US commerce success during 20th Century. When Tien Hsia philosophy spreads around the world, the rebalance of East and West will have arrived. World harmony and East and West rebalance dynamic coexistence will finally be realized! Francis C W Fung, Ph.D. Director General World Harmony Organization San Francisco, CA, USA

Friday, April 14, 2017

Belt & Road to play crucial role for globalization

Belt & Road to play crucial role for globalization By Francis C W Fung, Ph.D., Director General of the World Harmony Organization, based in San Francisco, CA, US An historic moment was witnessed on Dec. 25 last year, since China, along with 56 other founding members, launched the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to support the Belt & Road (B&R) Initiative that is expected to provide greater connectivity on a global scale. The initiative was proposed by President Xi Jingping to demonstrate his modern vision for a community of common destiny for world prosperity. The Belt refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt that connects China to Europe through Central Asia. The Road is the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road connecting China through South East Asia to the Arab world. The initiative maintains a spirit of the ancient Chinese teachings of "Tien Xia Wei Kung (The world is for all.)" and "Tien Xia Da Tong (Great harmony over all the world)," which serve as Chinese cherished dreams for the world’s mutual commerce connectivity, prosperity, cultural respect and harmony. It’s natural for Beijing to launch the initiative for historical, technological, financial capable and infrastructure building experience reasons. In the last 39 years since China’s reform and opening-up policy, China has constructed over 20 trillion US dollars worth of highways, railroads, high speed railroads, bridges, tunnels, internet and high voltage electric transmission infrastructure covering the nation’s 1.3 billion population. Such super scale of construction in a short time has no historical precedence. China has the largest highway and high speed train networks in the world. By 2020, the 100th anniversary of the founding of Chinese Communist Party, all major Chinese cities are scheduled to be connected by high speed railroad. The B &R would establish infrastructure, communication and cultural connectivity for the nations and regions adjoined along the route. All New Silk Road infrastructures completed will be connected to China, such as during the Ancient Silk Road Era. China’s rejuvenation will make it one of the major powers of the world yet again. China seeks to become a driving force for the second round of globalization, which is likely grow larger and more inclusive than the first round of globalization led by the United States in the 20th century. The US will remain the dominant military power but not the largest economic power, which means the US will no longer dominate the globe as Washington had done in the 20th century. The 21st Century globalization favors inclusivity, equality, mutual respect, win-win prosperity and world harmony. China’s middle class will soon become the largest in the world. On account of Silk Road connectivity prosperity, the nation will be the hub market for globalization. Developing countries will continue to rise economically and culturally and the Belt and Road can benefit all humanity. The Belt & Road Initiative endorses mutual consultations, cooperation and benefits for all countries, serving as a symphony for our world to become all inclusive that welcomes progress together with China!

China’s Belt & Road to drive 2nd-generation Globalization

China’s Belt & Road to drive 2nd-generation Globalization By Francis C W Fung, Ph.D., University of Notre Dame; Director General of the World Harmony Organization, based in San Francisco, CA, US America initiated the 20th Century world trade globalization. But the 2008 world financial crisis caused by the U.S. toxic asset collapse and its worldwide devastating spread signaled the end of the good days of world trade globalization of the 20th Century. Seven years later world major economies in the world are still mired in great recession with the exception of China. The whole world is looking for new economic or technology breakthroughs to bail the world economy out of its quagmire. China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, which includes the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road came at the right time. The Belt and Road Initiative, according to President Xi, is all about win-win cooperation and community of common destiny. Xi emphasized the Initiative is not just for China, but it is a world symphony. It will be built by mutual consultation, mutual cooperation and for mutual benefit. This Intiative might be seen as the driving force for the wave of the second globalization, which might bring about the 21st century infrastructure revolution and transportation revolution. The initiative is to launch modern transportation and communication infrastructure to connect Asia through Central Asia to Europe and from South East Asia through Indian Ocean to Middle East and finally Africa. This vast “Belt and Road” initiative can advance commerce, communication, cultural and technology exchange, people-to-people contact all over the world to benefit human progress in the brave 21st century. The resulting world connectivity will bring trade globalization to another height far exceeding the 20th century because this time the connectivity expands to a far greater world. This time we may experience mutual development and prosperity like no other time in history before. It will not only connect transportation, communication, culture, etc., but most of all, it will connect the hearts and minds of the people along the Belt and Road, and even beyond, and might lead to world harmony in the long run. Finally the ancient Chinese dream of “Shi Jie Da Tong (Great harmony over all the world)” might become a reality in the 21st century.