CPC's people-oriented philosophy sets example for world, says Sri Lankan party leader

The Communist Party of China (CPC), 99 years after its founding, has set an example for the world through its people-oriented philosophy and policies based on a community with a shared future for mankind, a senior communist member in Sri Lanka has said.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka D.E.W. Gunasekara receives an interview with Xinhua in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Feb. 18, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

The CPC has been "a party of the people, by the people and for the people" since its founding in 1921, D.E.W. Gunasekera, general secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, told Xinhua in an interview.

Gunasekera said throughout the CPC's history, the party has always been adhering to the fundamental principle of never losing touch with the people, who are the source of strength.

Taking the fight against COVID-19 as an example, Gunasekera said in the face of this unknown disease, the party "took the people's interest at heart and first."

All structures within the highly institutionalized party, from local to national levels, "were geared up for the immediate task of containing the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

"The Chinese leadership took strict and effective actions and the people responded," he said.

Praising the CPC's success in lifting millions of people out of poverty, Gunasekera expressed confidence that the party will achieve its target of eliminating absolute poverty by the end of this year despite the complexities posed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to official data, China has lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty over the past several decades, representing over 70 percent of global poverty reduction.

Over the past four years, China has relocated 9.3 million low-income rural residents to more inhabitable areas, 9.2 million of whom were lifted from poverty as a result, the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planning body, said in March.

"China will emerge as the first nation in the world free of absolute poverty," Gunasekera said, adding, "China will create history."

The target can be achieved with the CPC's consistent policies on increasing production and productivity, he said.

Lauding the comprehensive anti-corruption efforts made by the CPC since the 18th National Congress in late 2012, Gunasekera said the party has set an example for the rest of the world in fighting corruption, "a global phenomenon."

"No other country has gone so far in the task of eliminating corruption," he said.

From the perspective of a developing country like Sri Lanka, the CPC's foreign policies based on cooperation, multipolarity and a community with a shared future for mankind are quite favourable, he said.

"China has decided upon cooperation and not engaged in confrontation. Only cooperation can lead to countries gaining mutual benefits," he added.