Speakers:
Xu Lin, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and minister of the State Council Information Office (SCIO)
Ning Jizhe, member of the Leading Party Members' Group and deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and commissioner of the National Bureau of Statistics
Liu Huanxin, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and vice minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Zhao Chenxin, member of the Leading Party Members' Group and secretary general of the NDRC
Chairperson:
Chen Wenjun, head of the Press Bureau of the SCIO and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
Sept. 28, 2021
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. The State Council Information Office (SCIO) is holding a press conference today to issue and introduce a new white paper titled "China's Epic Journey from Poverty to Prosperity." Present at today's press conference are Mr. Xu Lin, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and minister of the SCIO; Mr. Ning Jizhe, member of the Leading Party Members' Group and deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and commissioner of the National Bureau of Statistics; Mr. Liu Huanxin, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and vice minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; and Mr. Zhao Chenxin, member of the Leading Party Members' Group and secretary general of the NDRC.
Next, I will give the floor to Mr. Xu Lin.
Xu Lin:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. At the ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC on July 1, General Secretary Xi Jinping declared that China had realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects through the continued efforts of the whole Party and the entire nation.
Today, the SCIO issued a white paper titled "China's Epic Journey from Poverty to Prosperity." The white paper reviews China's journey to moderate prosperity, elaborates on the achievement of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and offers bright prospects for the country's modernization. The important document records and reflects China's practice of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
At more than 32,000 Chinese characters, the white paper consists of preface, main body and conclusion. The main text is divided into five parts: A Critical Step Towards National Rejuvenation, Prosperity Through All-Round Development, Prosperity for All, Prosperity Through Hard Work, and The World Benefits from China's Prosperity. The document provides a systematic explanation of what moderate prosperity in all respects in China is and how it was realized.
First, the realization of moderate prosperity is a critical step toward national rejuvenation. "Xiaokang," meaning moderate prosperity, has been a consistent dream and aspiration of the Chinese nation for millennia. More than 2,000 years ago, the term appeared in the "Book of Songs" to mean modest comfort: "The people are hard-pressed, they need some modest comfort." Centuries later, the "Book of Rites" described the ideal state of society that "xiaokang" would bring about. From the outset, the CPC has made the wellbeing of the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation its abiding goals. The Party is committed to creating a happier and better life for the Chinese people. The white paper reviews how the Chinese people, led by the CPC, have persevered, progressing step by step from a subsistence standard of living to piecemeal prosperity, then to moderate prosperity. The document records that in the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has assumed leadership, made plans, and pushed forward the efforts to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He has rallied around him Party members and the Chinese people, and led them in eliminating absolute poverty, advancing reform, combating COVID-19, controlling pollution and defusing risks. Under his leadership, the Party and the country have achieved historic successes and transformations in the pursuit of their cause. The moderately prosperous society in all respects has come to fruition as scheduled, marking a critical step toward national rejuvenation. According to the white paper, the realization of moderate prosperity has boosted the Chinese people's pride and confidence in the nation, and inspired further endeavors on the quest for national rejuvenation.
Second, moderate prosperity in all respects has been achieved through all-round development. All-round development is essential to moderate prosperity. In pursuing moderate prosperity, China emphasizes balanced, coordinated and sustainable progress in the economic, political, cultural, social, and eco-environmental fields. It aims to meet people's growing needs in all areas and at all levels, and to promote their well-rounded development. Moderate prosperity makes China a strong and prosperous country striving for national rejuvenation and the people's wellbeing. With a large amount of facts and data, the white paper offers a comprehensive picture of moderate prosperity from various perspectives: sustained and healthy economic growth, greater people's democracy, a flourishing cultural sector, improved living standards, and historic progress in the eco-environment. The achievements include both material progress and advances in culture and ethics; both improvements in the lives of individuals and development of our nation and society; and both tangible and intangible outcomes. In short, moderate prosperity represents progress in every aspect and dimension.
Third, prosperity for all. Working to benefit the people is fundamental to a moderate prosperity society. While building itself into a moderately prosperous society, China has always put the people first so as to ensure that all people can share the fruits of development. It is a society where no individual, region or ethnic group is left behind, and a society where people from all ethnic groups can enjoy a happy and comfortable life in every corner of China's vast land. The white paper introduced China's success in the battle against poverty which has helped poor people rise out of poverty and achieve moderate prosperity along with the rest of the country, as well as China's integrated urban-rural development to ensure urban and rural areas complement each other and advance side by side, like two wheels of a cart. The white paper also introduced China's more coordinated development across regions. China has shaped a new framework of coordinated regional development, featuring reinforcing connectivity, clearly defined core functions for each area, and complementary advantages. According to the white paper, a moderately prosperous society in all respects embodies the organic unity of realizing the well-rounded human development and common development for all, and the major goal of socialism of achieving common prosperity,.
Fourth, prosperity through hard work. China is the world's largest developing country with more than 1.4 billion people. For China, a better life can only materialize through hard work rather than waiting and wanting. The CPC has united and led the Chinese people in rebuilding the country from scratch through self-reliance and hard work, achieving the moderate prosperity which has been an aspiration for thousands of years. Focusing on working for the people, and working scientifically, arduously and continuously, the white paper introduced the extraordinary and arduous journey of building a moderately prosperous society from the following four aspects, including always putting the people first, developing sound policies and strategies, development through reform and opening up and perseverance over generations. The white paper said that the moderately prosperous society in all respects has been achieved in China through much hard work by the Chinese people. It is the Chinese people who have created a better and moderately prosperous life, said the white paper. The CPC leadership has provided the fundamental guarantee for realizing moderate prosperity. Without the leadership of the CPC, there would be no moderate prosperity, according to the white paper.
Fifth, in achieving moderate prosperity for the Chinese people, China has contributed to its own development and delivered benefits to the rest of the world. China cannot develop in isolation from the rest of the world, nor can the world achieve prosperity without China. The growing prosperity of Chinese people and continuous development and progress of China has created positive momentum for world peace and common development. Achieving moderate prosperity in all respects has made China more prosperous, the people happier, and society more stable. This is how China is contributing to world peace and development in its own right. In achieving a moderately prosperous society, China has helped to dramatically reduce the world's poverty-stricken population, and offered enlightenment for the modernization of mankind, said the white paper. In the future, China will embrace the world in a more open and inclusive manner, have more positive interactions with the rest of the world, and contribute even more to building a community with a shared future for humankind and a better world, according to the white paper.
China's realization of moderate prosperity in all respects has achieved the phased goals of China's modernization drive and taken a key step forward in the national rejuvenation. At the same time, unbalanced and inadequate development still poses a stern challenge. China will acquire a better understanding of the new development stage, implement the new development philosophy, foster a new development paradigm, and propel its unique modernization forward to make substantial progress in well-rounded human development and common prosperity while realizing high-quality development.
With the firm leadership of the CPC, and the united efforts of all Chinese people both at home and abroad, China will build itself into a great modern socialist country, the Chinese people will live a happier and better life, and the Chinese nation will make greater contributions to the progress of human society, according to the white paper.
That's all for my introduction. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Xu Lin. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify your media outlet before asking questions.
