FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Chinese development ‘miracle’ points way for world after virus battle 

Chinese development ‘miracle’ points way for world after virus battle 

The following is a speech on the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, given by Yang Xin, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Thailand:

In the past 71 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China has gone from being poor and weak to being independent and prosperous, and achieved a tremendous transformation from standing up, growing rich to becoming strong, which created great miracles one after another in the history of human development.

Since the beginning of this year, facing the Covid-19 outbreak that caught us all by surprise, the Central Committee of the CPC with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, united and led the whole nation in heart-stirring combat against the epidemic, underwent an extremely hard and bitter historical examination, made great efforts to achieve the major strategic achievements in the fight against the epidemic, creating another eastern miracle in the history of humans combating diseases. The great combat and fighting spirit against the epidemic are a surging embodiment of China’s power, a highlight of the advantages of China’s system, and a vivid invocation of China’s spirit. It once again shows the world that in the past 71 years, under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese people have composed a magnificent “song of struggle” and have walked a glorious way forward.

Over the past 71 years, China’s economic capacity and comprehensive national strength have greatly increased. The economic aggregate has increased from more than 60 billion renminbi (RMB) at the beginning of the founding of the People’s Republic of China to nearly 100 trillion RMB in 2019. China is now the world’s second largest economy, the world’s largest industrial producer, the largest trader, with the largest foreign exchange reserve, and the second largest foreign capital inflow. At present, China’s economy continues to improve and is expected to become the only major economy to achieve positive growth this year, continuously injecting confidence and impetus into global economic development.

Over the past 71 years, living standards of the Chinese people have greatly improved. Chinese average life expectancy has increased from 35 to 77 years. Reform and opening up have lifted more than 750 million people out of poverty. The nine-year compulsory education coverage rate has reached 94.2 per cent. Medical insurance covers more than 1.3 billion people, and basic endowment insurance covers more than 960 million people. The total treatment costs of Covid-19 patients are borne by the Chinese government. 

At present, we are standing at the historical intersection of the Two Centenary Goals. We are working together to overcome difficulties, resolutely ensure the successful completion of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and completely eliminate absolute poverty, a beautiful ideal that the Chinese nation has longed to make a reality for thousands of years.

Over the past 71 years, China’s international status has improved unprecedentedly. China adheres to an independent foreign policy of peace, actively develops friendly cooperation with other countries in the world, and is increasingly approaching the centre of the world stage. At present, in the face of the complex situation of the global Covid-19 epidemic and all kinds of great changes in the world in the past century, following the guidance of Xi Jinping’s “Thought on Diplomacy”, we uphold the concept of a community of a shared future for mankind and have joined hands with the international community to tackle the challenges.

Not long ago, President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the general debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, explaining the idea of "supremacy of people and supremacy of life", and injecting strong impetus for strengthening international cooperation in combating the epidemic. He reiterated the concept of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation and pointed out the right direction for building an open world economy. He pointed out that all countries are closely linked and people of all countries share a common destiny, sending a clear signal of firm support for the United Nations and the multilateral system. He announced that China will enhance its national independent contribution and will adopt more effective policies and measures to strive for carbon neutrality by 2060. President Xi also announced a series of major initiatives to support the United Nations and promote world peace and development, stressing that China will continue to be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of international order. China is willing to work with other countries to promote the construction of a new type of international relations, a community of a shared future for mankind, and jointly create a better future for the world.

China and Thailand are good neighbours, good partners, good friends and good relatives who live in harmony and share weal and woe. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand. Over the past 45 years, China-Thailand relations have gone through an extraordinary path of development. With the deepening of political mutual trust, economic and trade cooperation, closer people-to-people exchanges, and fruitful results have been achieved in all-round cooperation between the two countries. In July, President Xi and Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha held a telephone conversation to exchange views on bilateral relations and cooperation, and reached a new consensus, which injected new impetus and pointed out new directions for further promoting the development of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Thailand.

Earlier this year, in the face of the global Covid-19 epidemic, China and Thailand and their peoples have always trusted and supported each other in the fight against the epidemic. They have interpreted the profound kinship between China and Thailand and the great spirit of a community of a shared future for mankind with practical actions, so as to make positive contributions to global public health. It is gratifying that China and Thailand have worked hand in hand to coordinate the two major events of combating the epidemic and economic development, and comprehensively promote practical cooperation. In the face of the severe impact of the epidemic, the bilateral trade volume between China and Thailand increased by 6.7 per cent in the first eight months of this year. In the first half of this year, the China-Thailand railway, as the flagship project of the Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries, is progressing smoothly, and the cooperation between the two sides in innovative fields such as 5G, e-commerce and telemedicine has accelerated. China-Thailand relations will be greatly strengthened after the epidemic and changes in the international situation.

“Rivers flow far, and the friendship between China and Thailand lasts long." Standing at the new starting point of the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand, and the continuation of bilateral cooperation, I believe that through the joint efforts of both sides, China-Thailand relations will continue to expand the shared interests, enhance consensus, deepen cooperation, achieve more brilliant achievements, create a brighter future, and benefit the people of the two countries, as well as the whole world with more tangible achievements. Let's join hands to turn confidence into action and turn expectation into reality, so as to meet the bright future of the People’s Republic of China and China-Thailand relations.

May the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Thailand thrive and be prosperous and its two peoples be happy and healthy!

May the friendship between China and Thailand flourish and last forever!

May China and Thailand defeat the epidemic as soon as possible, and may everyone in Thailand enjoy good health!

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