The communique of the 3rd CPC plenary session has global relevance

Editor's note: Wolfram Adolphi, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, comes from the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in Germany. He is a political scientist and sinologist, and has carried out research on Chinese politics and the CPC for more than 40 years. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) impressively underlines the continuity characterizing the efforts of the CPC to build socialism with Chinese characteristics. What we see in the document is not an incoherent collection of short-term aims or tasks but a complex system of long-term strategic projects and plans solidly based on around 45 years' experience of reform and opening-up.

When the communique says that "by 2035, we will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernized our system and capacity of governance, and basically realized socialist modernization," it is not difficult to remember the quality and reliability of such planning in the decades since 1978 and the high speed of implementing this planning in the daily economic, social and cultural life of the whole country.

In 2021, China celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, and the party renewed its commitment for building China into "a great modern socialist country in all respects" until the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic of China in 2049. Now, this commitment has been newly confirmed. "The middle of this century" is named as the old and new target point of the tremendous efforts of the CPC to cope in an unprecedented socialist way with the tremendous challenges the whole mankind is confronted with.

This is what I especially want to emphasize: The ongoing Chinese modernization is of tremendous importance for the whole world, and for the whole of mankind. I highly appreciate the communique in saying that "Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development." It is very important that China does not join those political forces in the world which emphasize the emergence of a new block confrontation, a new cold war, but holds to its politics of remaining "firmly committed to pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace" and "dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future."

It is of strategic meaning for the whole world that China "will pursue the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative" and "participate in efforts to lead the reform and development of the global governance system." 

The first quarter of the 21st century clearly bears witness to the fact that these Chinese efforts are finding growing support by a majority of countries around the world. They all see that the respective Chinese initiatives are not empty words but based on a growing complex of political practice, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and also the ongoing efforts to find a way for peace in the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The global weight of Chinese modernization is reflected in another part of the communique, too. It was stated that "Chinese modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature." To reach that, it must "improve ecological conservation systems" and "make concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, and pursue green development." Considering the sheer size of China and its population, it is absolutely clear that every success in these fields is a success not only for China alone but for the world as a whole.

Looking professionally into the development of China for the past few decades, I am once again impressed by the complex understanding the CPC leadership presents concerning the decisive challenges that mankind is confronted with, and I once again hope that this understanding will be finally understood by those political forces, who until now believe that a solution of the global problems could be found in conflict and confrontation rather than in peaceful global governance.

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