China’s modernization is peaceful development

Modernization is a process of human society toward progress and prosperity, and the common goal of all countries in the world. For China, after building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way and realizing its first centennial goal, we should take the opportunity to start a new journey of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way. By 2035, we will basically realize socialist modernization, and by the middle of the 21st century, we will build our country into a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and beautiful modern socialist power——China’s modernization is a new process unprecedented to mankind, which will have an immeasurable impact on the world.

The process of modernization of developed European countries were full of contradictions, conflicts and even wars. After their modernization, they still control and take advantage of developing regions of the world, maintaining their superior position. The two world wars both originated from European countries as well as Japan which believed in power politics. These countries established colonial systems with their strong military strength, seized global resources and wealth, and laid a material foundation for their modernization. After World War II, the United States established the Bretton Woods system for its own interests. Through the control of the global economic mechanisms, the United States maintains its status as a modern superpower. Today, the United States is still trying to use its military power to continue to mobilize all kinds of world resources to serve its strategic interests through its institutional hegemony, financial hegemony and network hegemony.

Can socialist China, which is essentially different from Western countries, realize its modernization in a peaceful way? The answer is yes. China’s modernization is not only a process of peace, but also a result of peace. That is to say, China’s modernization will be a process of peaceful development, and a modernized China will be an important force to maintain world peace.

In fact, since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and after decades of hard work of the Chinese people, China is no longer indigent and backward. Today, China has become the world’s second largest economy, the largest industrial country, and the largest foreign exchange reserves holder. At present, China stands at a new starting point of modernization. The “14th five-year plan” outlines the prospect of China by 2035, when it should have basically realized socialist modernization, from nine aspects, all of which are based on China’s endogenous power and the people’s self-improvement. It is certain that in the next 30 years, China will complete its modernization process through peaceful development, relying entirely on its own efforts.

In the process of modernization, China is a contributor to world peace. Since the mid-1950s, the “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” have become the basic principles of China’s foreign policies. China has never on its own initiative provoked conflicts or wars with other countries, nor occupied an inch of territory of other countries. Especially in the past 40 years since the beginning of reform and opening up, China has always adhered to the road of peaceful development and has not fallen into any war. As China’s national strength grows, China has made important contributions to the settlement of regional conflicts and the maintenance of world peace. China has contributed the largest number of peacekeeping forces among the five permanent members of the United Nations, and it is also the second largest contributor of UN peacekeeping assessment and membership fees. In addition, China has also participated in mediation and multilateral settlement of many conflicts in the world.

In the process of modernization, China is a contributor to global economic development. In recent years, China’s contribution to world economic growth has remained at about 30%. At present, China is the largest trading partner of more than 120 countries and regions in the world, with imports accounting for about 11% of the world’s total. As the largest developing country and emerging economy, China has welcomed all the developing countries, especially those along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative, to carry out in-depth cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit, which has provided important opportunities for their economic development. Under pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic, China has provided timely medical assistance to countries in serious coronavirous crisis to help ease the pandemic situation and restore economic growth.

In the process of modernization, China is also the defender of international order. China has been firmly committed to multilateralism and actively supports various global multilateral organizations, including the United Nations, and regional cooperation mechanisms in handling international and regional affairs. China has participated in international multilateral cooperation mechanisms at all levels and fields, and has unswervingly supporting the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization as the core. China and its neighboring countries have been working together to promote the integration of the East Asian region and the connection of various multilateral mechanisms among Asian countries. China has also been advocating the construction of a free trade area for the Asia-Pacific and the Asia-Pacific community, and participated in the coordination and cooperation among various regional multilateral organizations.

China's modernization blazed a new trail for mankind to realize modernization, which will bring new opportunities and impetus to world peace and development. The gene of “peace is the most precious” is embedded in the strategic culture of the Chinese nation. In the process of modernization, China will never seek hegemony or expansion, or impose its own miserable experiences on other nations. The Chinese people have clearly realized that “only when the world is good can China be good; if China is good, the world will be better.” China’s modernization will be accompanied by the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. A modern China will not only benefit the Chinese people, but also all the people of the world, and will make greater contributions to the development and progress of humanity.

Contributed by Su Hao, Professor of China Foreign Affairs University, fellow of Center for the Study of Xi Jinping Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era

Translated by Pan Meng