By Ambassador Cai Weiming
Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Solomon Islands
IN mid-July 2024, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted a Resolution on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. The resolution renewed the clear message to the world that China is resolutely committed to reform and opening up, which will bring more benefits and opportunities for Solomon Islands and the world at large.
The meeting shows the world that China is firmly committed to further reform. Since 1978, the policy of reform and opening up has helped China catch up with the times and become the second largest economy in the world. China will continue on the path of reform and opening up to pursue modernization and build our country into a great modern socialist country by mid-21st century. The meeting set out the timetable and road map for China’s further reform with more than 300 programs. Pioneered by systematic economic reform, these programs aim at promoting social equity and justice and improving people’s lives with more focused and pragmatic arrangements. To implement these programs, thousands of specific measures will be taken and completed by 2029, at which time we will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of PRC. These concrete commitments and measures highlight the policy of systematic, continuous and coherent reform and development.
The meeting shows the world that China is firmly committed to opening up. Opening up is a distinctive feature of Chinese modernization. Since the convention of 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the number of free trade agreements China signed with other countries has doubled. And China’s overall tariff level has been reduced to the level of developed countries, which eased restrictions on foreign investment. The meeting commits to a higher-standard opening up, which promotes high-level institutional opening up, deepens structural trade reform, further reforms the management systems on inbound and outbound investment, optimizes the layout for regional opening up, and improves the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. China will expand and deepen the scope of opening up with the “dual circulation” paradigm where domestic and overseas markets reinforce each other, and build a higher-standard open economy.
The meeting shows the world that China is firmly committed to high-quality development. The meeting focused on improving institutions that will promote high-quality development. Plans were made to promote the development of new productive forces characterized by high technology, high performance and high quality. China’s economy has been transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to a phase of high-quality development, with economic recovery continuously strengthened. In the first half of 2024, China’s GDP reached 8.7 trillion US$, an increase of 5% compared to the same period of last year, maintaining a stable growth. China’s patent applications outnumbered other countries. The number of Chinese high-tech enterprises reached 400,000, featuring a stronger innovation driving force. China is confident to overcome all challenges and accomplish the economic and social development goals with steady steps.
The meeting shows the world that China is committed to peaceful development. The meeting stressed that China will steadfastly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace; promote a community with a shared future for mankind; champion the common values of humanity; implement the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative; advocate an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization; actively participate in reforming the global governance; and firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. Faced with a world full of transformation and turmoil and changes unseen in a century, China will always stand on the right side of history and advocate for peace and justice, and will always be a staunch force for world’s peace and development.
China’s reform and opening up process will provide other countries with golden opportunities for trade, investment and economic development. China has a middle-income group of more than 400 million people. China imported 2.56 trillion US$ worth of goods in 2023, accounting for more than 10% of the global market. China’s outbound investment has remained third in the world since a decade ago. Chinese companies have invested in nearly 50,000 overseas enterprises, employed around 2.5 million local people, and created 75 billion US$ annual tax revenue to host countries. China’s new round of reform will provide institutional guarantee and strong impetus for Chinese modernization, which will make China a better growth engine for the world economy, and provide other countries with more opportunities for common development.
This year marks the 5th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Solomon Islands. In the past 5 years, under the strategic guidance of our state leaders and based on the one-China principle, our political mutual trust has been enhanced, our mutually beneficial cooperation has been fruitful, and our people-to-people exchanges have been flourishing. China-SI relations stand at the forefront of China’s relations with Pacific Island countries, and have become a model of mutual support and common development among countries of different sizes. China-SI friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of our two peoples. During Prime Minister Hon. Jeremiah Manele’s recent visit to China, the two sides reached important consensus on deepening cooperation in various fields. China is ready to work with Solomon Islands to implement the consensus, supporting each other and helping each other to succeed. China warmly welcomes Solomon Islands to take a ride on this new journey of reform and development and head towards a brighter future for friendship and cooperation.
