Political parties are the source of national policies and the representatives of the people’s interests, and they play an important role in a country’s political life, said Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, at the CPC and World Political Parties Summit via video link on July 6. He also pointed out that political parties in different countries should increase mutual trust, strengthen communication and collaboration, and explore the establishment of a new type of political party relationship, based on a new type of international relations that seeks common ground while reserving differences, facilitating mutual respect, and promoting mutual learning.
The CPC has different forms of contacts and exchanges with more than 400 parties and organizations of various types in over 160 countries and regions across the globe. Among them are the ruling and participating parties, as well as important opposition parties and political parties in countries that have no diplomatic relations with China. In addition, the CPC also has links with international organizations of political parties such as the Socialist International and the World Union of Christian Democrats. Through friendly exchanges in different forms, at different levels, and via different channels, the CPC and various types of political parties have had candid and in-depth exchanges of views on issues of common concern. Such exchanges not only help deepen mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation and promote the all-round development of state-to-state relations, but they also promote world peace, development, and progress.
As the largest ruling party in the world, the CPC and the political parties of other countries have engaged in exchanges on an equal footing to facilitate mutual learning, and jointly explored ways to build a better world. There is no need to export the Chinese model, or any requirement for other countries to copy Chinese practices. However, the great success of the socialist road with Chinese characteristics has provided a new option for the world.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres spoke highly of China’s achievements in poverty alleviation. He said, “We should not forget the fact that China has contributed the most in world poverty alleviation in the past decade.” American scholar Joseph S. Nye, Jr. also noted that the CPC has helped hundreds of millions of Chinese to shake off poverty and has made great achievements in its economic progress. He considered this as an important source for the legitimacy of the CPC and its soft power.
On July 6, more than 10,000 representatives of over 500 political parties and organizations from 160-plus countries attended the CPC and World Political Parties Summit via video link. Focusing on the theme “For the People’s Wellbeing: The Responsibility of Political Parties,” the participants conducted in-depth exchanges concerning the building of a community with a shared future for humankind, and reached a consensus that advocates for all political parties to join hands in building a beautiful world with lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, inclusive openness, and sustainable development.
In a globalized world, the interests of all countries are closely interwoven and humankind shares a common stake. Since the community with a shared future concept was put forward at the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, it has been the basic strategy of the CPC in governing the country. It conforms to the trend of the times, the common interests of the world’s people, and the spirit of the UN Charter, and has thus been included in the UN resolutions twice, widely recognized by the international community.
China has established bilateral cooperative relations with neighboring countries and some nations along the Belt and Road. The CPC signed the “Action Plan for a Community with a Shared Future for Humankind” with the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party for the first time. Moreover, the CPC has further advanced the construction of the SCO Community of Shared Future, the China-Russia Community of Shared Future, the China-Africa Community of Shared Future, the China-ASEAN Community of Shared Future, the China-Latin America Community of Shared Future, and the China-EU Community of Shared Future. It has also actively promoted global cooperation in the prevention and control of the coronavirus pandemic, and contributed China’s ideas and approaches to promoting world peace and development, as well as China’s answer to the control of COVID-19.
China is willing to push forward exchanges and cooperation with other countries in the fields of economy, politics, culture, diplomacy, ecology, and security. As President Xi said, “The future of every nation and country is closely linked. We should stand together through trials and hardships, share weal and woe, strive to build this planet of ours into a harmonious family, and turn the people’s longing for a better life in all countries into a reality.”
