By Hammeed M. Bello, PhD
“Only a strong and prosperous country can open itself to the outside world with confidence, and openness in turn promotes further prosperity.” This quote from President Xi Jinping’s book on “The Governance of China” (hereinafter referred to as The Book) sets the tone for China’s multilateral international diplomacy which it believes will ultimately bring about prosperity for China and the world.
China under the current leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is a study in resilience, hard work and discipline, coupled with the principled stand of President Xi Jinping’s leadership. China’s reputation as the second largest economy in the world is already on record, and that feat could not have been achieved by accident, but by deliberate policy actions which deserves to be studied further.
Disciplined visionary leadership has proven to be the oil that powers the engine of growth in key developing countries. Just as China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for example, is another product of visionary leadership, which has transformed the Arab country from an arid area to one of the most attractive commercial and tourism centres around the world.
President Xi’s vision and ideas on prosperity, both for China and the world, are accessible in The Book which content is segmented into IV parts, each reflecting his views on the theories and practice of good governance, prosperity, peace and security, international relations, and prosperous world order among others.
“Vision guides action, and direction determines the future. As modern history shows, to establish a fair and equitable international order is the goal for which humanity has always striven,” Xi said in a section of The Book titled
‘Towards a Community of Shared Future for Mankind’, which was part of a speech he delivered to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland on January 18, 2017.
According to President Xi, prosperity cannot be achieved if self discipline and strictness in personal and official conduct is not guaranteed. And he believes that the exercise of political power will be a major building block for prosperity.
The Book illustrates this point in a speech Xi delivered at the deliberation session of the Anhui delegation to the Second Session of the 12th National People’s Congress titled : “Establish and Promote the Conduct of “Three Stricts and Three Earnests”
According to Xi, “Being strict in the exercise of power means that leading officials should exercise power in the interests of the people, exercise power in accordance with rules and regulations, keep power within the confines of systemic checks, and neither seek privileges at any time nor abuse power for personal gain.”
Compliance with this view, to my mind, can greatly curtail temptations of political corruption which has hindered many countries from prosperity and growth. This strictness in official conduct, and the zero-tolerance for corruption perhaps accounts for why stealing is not popular in Chinese public service. Anyone caught stands the risk of a capital punishment.
As is the case, Xi’s ideology of strict compliance to laws and rules by CPC members and leaders has reduced interference with public funds needed to drive growth and usher-in prosperity.
Xi believes in inclusivity, which specifies that China needs the world as much as the world needs China. One of his key templates for connection with neighbouring countries to open up and reach out is the Belt and Road Initiative, BRI. He explains in The Book that “To promote the Belt and Road Initiative, first we must build up consensus. We should, through joint planning and shared development for mutual benefit, focus on key regions, countries and projects, concentrate on development, and strive to benefit not only the people of China but also – and more importantly – people from other countries along the route. China welcomes others on board its express train of development. All other countries and international organizations are welcome to join the initiative.”
Xi advocated for the promotion, coordination and balanced development between land and sea, between China and foreign countries, and between governments and enterprises through the instrumentality of the BRI.
In one of his speeches to the UN, Xi made a case for each member country to be able to freely practice a political and economic system that serves the purpose of its people without interference in the local affairs of each respective country.
He reaffirmed Chinese democratic socialism in the tradition of Karl Marx, embellished with local characteristics, as the preferred system for his people.
This is against the background of the agelong tension between capitalism and socialism as two key global economic models. The tension might have reduced in intensity, but is far from fully dead. USA and China, the two biggest economies of the world are the key drivers of each of the two models. While the USA promotes capitalism, China practises what I might call a ‘domesticated socialism’ which it believes is suitable for its people. Based on the outcome for each country, the two models can be adjudged to be fruitful in driving the economy of each country to greatness. This is aside from the occasional friction between the two giants over terms and conditions in their trade relations. The argument has always been on the choice between free trade or protectionism.
Theoretically, Capitalism as an economic system is based on private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit, while in Socialism, the means of production are owned and controlled by the state on behalf of the people, the way China is open to.
The said domesticated socialism has currently placed the East Asian country as the second biggest economy of the world with a 2024 GDP of US$8.49 trillion and a national budget of about $17. 30 trillion. USA, the world leader, has a 2024 budget of about $24. 18trillion.
In respect of plans for the future, Xi’s book made case for a New Partnership of Mutual Benefit and a Community of Shared Future, encapsulated in a speech he delivered on
September 28, 2015 at the General Debate of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States.
“In today’s world, all countries are interdependent and share a common future. We should renew our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, build a new model of international relations featuring mutually beneficial cooperation, and create a community of shared future for mankind. To achieve this goal, we need to make efforts in the following areas:
“We should build partnerships in which countries treat each other as equals, engage in extensive consultation, and enhance mutual understanding….The future of the world must be shaped by all countries…. It also means that all countries’ endeavors to promote economic and social development and improve their people’s lives should be respected.
“We should commit ourselves to multilateralism and reject unilateralism. We should adopt a new vision of seeking positive outcomes for all, and reject the outdated mindset of zero-sum game or winner-takes-all.
“We should create a security environment featuring fairness, justice, joint efforts, and shared interests.
“We should abandon the Cold War mentality in all its manifestations, and foster a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security.
“We should promote open, innovative and inclusive development that benefits all.
“Development is meaningful only when it is inclusive and sustainable.
“We should increase inter-civilization exchanges to promote harmony, inclusiveness, and respect for differences. The world is more colorful as a result of its cultural diversity.
“We should build an ecosystem that puts Mother Nature and green development first. Humanity may utilize nature and even try to transform it. But we are ultimately a part of nature.
“To build a sound ecology is vital for humanity’s future. All members of the international community should work together to build a sound global eco-environment.”
President Xi also informed the UN General Assembly that
more than 1.3 billion Chinese people were endeavouring to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, and that the dream of the Chinese people was closely related to the dreams of other peoples of the world.
“We cannot realize the Chinese Dream without a peaceful international environment, a stable international order, or the understanding, support, and help of the rest of the world. The realization of the Chinese Dream will bring greater opportunities to other countries and contribute to global peace and development.”
To demonstrate commitment in realising that global dream, Xi announced China’s decision to establish a 10-year, US$1 billion China-UN peace and development fund to support the work of the United Nations, advance multilateral cooperation, and make a greater contribution to world peace and development.
And with regards to Africa, he also announced that China would provide a total of US$100 million in free military aid to the African Union in the next five years to support the establishment of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis.
These extracts from Xi’s book provide some insight into China’s multilateral diplomacy with the target of achieving a more peaceful, united and prosperous global community.
Dr Bello is the Chief Operating Officer of Peoples Daily newspaper in Abuja, Nigeria.
