On July 31, Ambassador Yang Xiaokun gave an interview to Lesotho Times(LT), actively promoting the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. The interview is transcribed as follows:
LT: The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China recently concluded. Could you elaborate the significance of this meeting？
Ambassador: The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China convened its third plenary session in Beijing from July 15 to 18, 2024. The plenary session made systematic planning and arrangements for further comprehensive deepening of reform and also outlined a new grand blueprint of Chinese modernization.
The session clarified that the overall objective is to continue to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. It was stated that the present and the near future constitute a critical period for our endeavor to build a great country and move toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization. Chinese modernization has been advanced continuously through reform and opening up, and it will surely embrace broader horizons through further reform and opening up. We must purposefully give more prominence to reform, in all aspects, with a view of advancing Chinese modernization in order to better deal with the complex developments both at home and abroad, adapt to the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and moreover live up to the new expectations of our people.
In a nutshell, the Third Plenary Session is destined to be a milestone. It has established key policies for important areas such as politics and economy by providing a clear path and direction for the development and improvement of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics as well as accelerating reforms and advancing Chinese modernization
LT: How should we understand the importance of further deepening reform comprehensively with a view to advancing Chinese modernization？
Ambassador: First, we need to rally support and pool strength to complete the Party’s central task on the new journey in the new era. Second, we need to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance. Third, we need to promote high-quality development and better respond to the evolution of the principal contradiction in Chinese society. Fourth, we need to deal with major risks and challenges and secure steady and sustained progress in the cause of the Party and the country. For that, we must further deepen reform comprehensively and keep working to improve the systems and mechanisms across all sectors.
LT: What are the main achievements of the third plenary session？
Ambassador: The third plenary session adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. This Resolution outlines the guiding philosophy, overall objectives, overall requirements and principles for further deepening reform. In addition, it unveiled more than 300 reform measures in various fields such as economy, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization and lastly Party building. As such, this has ensured that all aspects of advancing Chinese modernization are covered.
Drawing on a vast pool of wisdom, the document has clear priorities, concrete policies and feasible measures, charting the course for China's future reform and opening up. It sends a strong signal that China is earnest and steadfast in reform and opening up. The resolution serves as an overall plan and call to action for comprehensively advancing broader and deeper reform on the new journey in the new era.
LT: Which areas are covered by the reforms? How does China plan to advance these reforms?
Ambassador: At the session, the Central Committee made systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively with the emphasis on building a high-standard socialist market economy, promoting high-quality economic development, supporting all-around innovation, improving macroeconomic governance and promoting integrated urban-rural development. Furthermore, it gives prominence to pursuing high-standard opening up, advancing whole-process people’s democracy, promoting socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, deepening reform in the cultural sector, ensuring and improving the people’s well-being, deepening reform in ecological conservation, modernizing China’s national security system and capacity, deepening national defense and military reform, and improving the Party’s leadership in further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization.
On the basis of reviewing and applying the valuable experience we have gained since the launch of reform and opening up, particularly from our endeavor to comprehensively deepen reform in the new era, We must implement the principles of upholding the Party’s overall leadership, taking a people-centered approach, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, taking institution building as our main task, exercising law-based governance on all fronts, and applying systems thinking.
LT: This meeting has opened new prospects for China's international cooperation. What opportunities will it bring to the China-Lesotho relationship and cooperation?
Ambassador: It was stated in the Resolution that opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernization. We must remain committed to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world and continue to promote reform through opening up. Leveraging the strengths of China’s enormous market, we will enhance our capacity for opening up while expanding international cooperation and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy. We will steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, optimize the layout for regional opening up, and improve the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
In the new century, the collective rise of emerging market and developing countries is unstoppable. The Global South stands out with a strong momentum. China is always a member of the Global South and always stands with all countries of the South through thick and thin. Global South has always been one of the main directions for China's economic opening-up. China will uphold the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and take the right approach to friendship and interests, ensure the success of the upcoming Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), stay committed to the development and revitalization of the Global South and walk side by side with other Global South countries in our common pursuit of modernization.
The Resolution will provide new opportunities for expanding and deepening China-Lesotho cooperation. The reform measures for expanding openness, such as aligning with international economic and trade rules thus deepening foreign investment, will further promote cooperation in the economic and trade fields between China and Lesotho. By promoting wider opening with regard to the internet, education, culture, medical services and other sectors, and improving relevant services to make it more convenient for people from other countries including Lesotho to live, receive medical services, and make payments. The measures will also bring more benefits to exchanges across various fields between China and Lesotho.
Looking ahead, we expect China and Lesotho to consolidate and deepen the partnership on the path of reform and development. We hope to strengthen the exchange of governance and administrative experience, enhance the synergy of our development strategies, and build high-quality cooperation under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and Belt and Road Initiative. By exploring new potential in areas such as modern agriculture, renewable energy, tourism, and vocational education, we aim to advance together on the new journey of modernization.