Your Excellency Dr. Abraham Korir SingOei, Principal Secretary of Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs,
Mr.Ying Qiang,DirectorGeneral of Xinhua News Agency Africa Regional Bureau,
Friends and Distinguished Guests,
It is my great pleasure to join you for an in-depth discussion on the path to modernization, a key question of this era facing both China and Africa. With your rich experiences in international relations,media, business and other fields, you have objective and independent understanding of China as well as the world. I look forward to having profound exchanges with you to inspire each other and build consensus.
Friends and distinguished guests,
Achieving modernization is the legitimate right of people of all countries. There is no universal or one-size-fits-all modernization model in the world. The key is to find a development path that suits one's national conditions and conforms to the laws governing the progress of human society. China has forged a distinctive modernization path by adhering to its values and aspirations, identifying its own goals and tasks and giving full play to its institutional advantages, and has successfully advanced modernization characterized by a huge population, common prosperity for all, material and cultural-ethical advancement, harmony between humanity and nature and peaceful development.
The recently concluded annual “Two Sessions"of China, namely the 3rd session of the 14th National People's Congress(NPC) and the 3rd session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC), offer a critical window into Chinese modernization, showing the world the solid strides taken by China as well as the confidence and open-mindedness of the major country in the East.
President Xi Jinping has made a series of important speeches during the Two Sessions, which point out the course, practical paths and sound methods for further advancing Chinese modernization and rally the strength of the Chinese people to forge ahead on the path of modernization. More importantly, in this world marked by transformation and instability, China will strive to provide certainty to this uncertain world with its own development.
The first is to inject impetus into the world economy. The Chinese government has set the GDP growth rate of around 5 percent for this year, which is truly ambitious when the global economic growth lacks steam. To support economic growth, the Chinese government will adopt a more proactive fiscal policy and appropriately accommodative monetary policy; will foster emerging industries and industries of the future, unleash the creativity of the digital economy and continue to promote the AI plus initiative; will further deepen the economic structural reform, complete initiatives to deepen and upgrade SOE reform to high standards,effectively protect the lawful rights and interests of private enterprises and entrepreneurs in accordance with the law; will make thorough efforts to develop a unified national market; will adopt comprehensive measures to increase personal income and reduce personal financial burdens, vigorously boost consumption and stimulate domestic demand as well as improve social security and services.
The second is to firmly support world peace and development. No matter how the world changes,China will stay committed to the path of peaceful development and remain firm in pursuing a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up. China will expand higher level opening up, steadily expand institutional opening up, take the initiative to open wider and advance unilateral opening up in a well-ordered way.China will strive for solid progress in high-quality Belt and Road Cooperation, and make unremitting efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
The third is to uphold global security. China has been consistently promoting the implementation of the Global Security Initiative as well as the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. China actively participates in global security governance and contributes the Chinese wisdom and strength to settlement of international and regional hotspot issues as well as achieving sustainable security.
The two sessions have ushered in a new chapter in the advancement of Chinese modernization. Despite external pressures and domestic challenges, China has distinctive institutional strengths and many advantages, including an enormous market, a complete industrial system, and a wealth of manpower and talent. China has effective governance mechanism featuring long-term plans, sound regulation, and coordination between central and local governments. The underlying trend of China's long-term economic growth has not changed and will not change. The government and people of China have full confidence to achieve the steady long-term development of China's economy, build a great modern socialist country in all respects and pursue national rejuvenation through the Chinese path to modernization.
Friends and distinguished guests,
Over the decades, China and Africa have been making unremitting efforts in pursuit of modernization, having encountered similar setbacks and engaged in the same struggles. Changes unseen in a century are now unfolding across the world in a profound way. The Global South is awakening again and growing prominently in strength. An equal and orderly multipolar world as well as a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization are the sincere expectations of the international community. At this crossroad in history, the joint advancement of modernization by China and Africa takes on new significance in this world and in this era. At the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation(FOCAC), President Xi Jinping and leaders of African countries reached important consensus on jointly advancing modernization that is just and equitable, open and win-win, puts people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, eco-friendly and underpinned by peace and security. The “six modernizations"embody the shared aspirations of Chinese and African people for a better future, capture their profound contemplation on their future and destiny, and show the way forward for China and Africa's joint path to modernization.
China and Kenya are reliable friends who trust each other, and good partners on the path to modernization. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than 60 years ago, China and Kenya have learned form each other on governance, achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields including infrastructure, industry, agriculture, science and education as well as people-to-peole exchanges, and stayed at the forefront of jointly advancing Belt and Road cooperation, providing strong impetus for the two countries to pursue national rejuvenation and advance modernization.President Xi Jinping and President Ruto have met twice in two consecutive years. In the meetings, the two heads of state gave strategic guidance on deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between our two countries and building the all-weather China-Kenya community with a shared future in the new era. China is ready to work together with Kenya, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, to effectively remain each other's “three partners", namely sincere partners who trust each other and carry on friendship, partners for mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, and strategic partners in safeguarding international fairness and justice, to advance the ten partnership actions across the board, with the aim to empower the development of our two countries, enhance the well-being of our two peoples and achieve common prosperity and progress.
The first is to consolidate the political foundation for jointly advancing modernization. Our two countries should work together to strengthen high-level exchanges, enhance the exchanges of ideas on governance as well as improve the capacity and level of governance.
The second is to build the material foundation for jointly advancing modernization.We should deepen and expand practical cooperation in various fields. We need to consolidate cooperation in traditional sectors and at the same time foster new growth drivers in emerging fields such as digital economy, green economy, AI and health care.
The third is to improve the intellectual underpinning for jointly advancing modernization. We need to enhance exchanges and cooperation in fields such as science and technology, innovation, education, vocational training, people-to people exchanges, etc., in order to train more professional and technical talents for both countries and promote the friendship and understanding between our two peoples.
The fourth is to fight interference in jointly advancing modernization. We should firmly support each other on core interests and issues of major concern. We should jointly oppose
hegemonism and power politics,oppose unilateralism and protectionism, oppose containment and suppression and firmly safeguard our own legitimate rights and interests.
The fifth is to contribute wisdom and strength to the modernization of the Global South. We should cooperate closely in international and regional affairs. We need to strengthen cooperation under multilateral and regional mechanisms including the World Trade Organization(WTO), the African Union and the BRICS. We need to work together to safeguard the common interests of the Global South, promote regional peace and stability and advocate democratization of international relations as well as modernization of global governance.
To conclude, I would like to express sincere thanks to the Xinhua News Agency African Regional Bureau for providing this platform of mutual learning and exchange of ideas for the governments and other sectors of our two countries. I wish the Hong Ting Forum a full success.
Thank you.