Chinese Two Sessions Lay out the Blueprint for the Future and Bring New Opportunities for China-Sierra Leone Relations
中国“两会”描蓝图，中塞关系迎新机
By Wang Qing, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone
驻塞拉利昂大使王擎
16 March 2023
2023年3月16日
The National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which are the annual Chinese sessions, have just been concluded in Beijing. The two sessions have always been an important window to understand China. The “highlights” of this year’s two sessions were as follows: （英文不全）
一年一度的中国“两会”（全国人民代表大会和中国人民政治协商会议）刚刚在北京落下帷幕。在变乱交织的动荡世界中，在中国取得疫情防控重大决定性胜利并不断优化防控政策的背景下，国际社会更加关注中国的内外政策走向，期待中国为不确定的国际环境注入更多确定性。“两会”历来是了解中国的重要窗口，今年“两会”值得关注的“看点”有：
The Two Sessions are an important window to show a clear picture of the whole-process of people’s democracy in China. In the modern states, The People as Masters of the Country cannot be a “lofty” political slogan. We need to achieve democracy with practical institutional arrangements and measure it in the country’s political and social life. The 2,977 deputies to the 14th NPC are from various industries and places across the country and the 2,169 CPPCC members from 34 sectors basically cover all areas of society. Through the platform of the two sessions, public opinions can reach the “top” from the “bottom”. The international community vividly compares the two sessions of China as the process of “consensus building”, where the “big issues of the country” are closely linked to the “small issues” of people’s livelihoods, and the “what the people want” resonates with the “what the party and the government do”. The party’s proposition for the national will, and the people’s voice are highly unified. The first session of the 14th National People’s Congress elected the new Leadership of China. Xi Jinping was unanimously voted as President of China and Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Central Military Commission, which fully reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups. This also fully embodies the high degree of unity between the will of the Party, the people and the state. It is what the Party and the people hope for.
感受中国全过程人民民主的生动实践。在现代国家形态中，实现人民当家作主不是“高大上”的政治口号，而是要赋予民主以意义，将民主的实质落实到国家政治生活和社会生活的方方面面，转化为切实可行的制度安排和实践举措。中国的人大代表选举是世界上规模最大的民主选举。来自全国各行业、各地方的2977名十四届全国人大代表，来自34个界别的2169名政协委员，基本涵盖了社会的各个领域。借由全国两会平台，民心民意可以从“江湖之远”直抵“庙堂之高”。透过两会窗口，很多人看到中国全过程人民民主的勃勃生机。外界形象地把中国两会比作“共识构建”的过程，“国之大者”与民生“小事”紧密相连，“百姓盼的”与“党和政府干的”同频共振，党的主张、国家意志、人民心声高度统一，铺展全过程人民民主生动画卷。十四届全国人大一次会议选举产生了新一届国家领导人，习近平全票当选国家主席、中央军委主席，这充分反映了全党全军全国各族人民共同心愿，充分体现了党的意志、人民意志、国家意志的高度统一，是党心所向、民心所盼、众望所归。
The Two Sessions are an important window to see China’s development prospects. Over the past five years, in the face of multiple shocks that exceeded expectations, China has withstood the test and achieved a five-year average annual growth rate of 5.2%, increasing its GDP to about 18 trillion US Dollars and continuing to be an important engine of growth for the world economy. However, China’s development is still unbalanced and inadequate. Currently, our development is focused on providing for people’s basic needs. Going forward, the focus will be shifted toward delivering a life of better quality for the people. In particular, we will enhance our capacity for scientific and technological innovations, build a modern industrial system, and transit toward green development. The Two Sessions particularly emphasized the importance of high-quality development and put forward a series of specific initiatives. The target of GDP growth of around 5%, which China proposed is in line with economic laws and realistic requirements, and also demonstrates China’s firm determination to promote high-quality development. Although the world’s economic situation this year is generally not optimistic and there are still many unstable, uncertain and unpredictable factors, China will take a number of actions such as optimizing macro policies, expanding demand, advancing reform and innovation, and preventing and defusing risks, so as to inject new impetus to the global economy with its own high-quality development and create more opportunities for the world. To sum up, like Chinese new Premier Li Qiang said, the prospect of Chinese economy will break winds and waves, and sail toward a brighter future.
展望中国发展前景的重要窗口。过去五年，面对多重超预期冲击，中国经受住考验，实现五年年均增长5.2%的发展成就，国内生产总值增加到约18万亿美元，继续成为拉动世界经济增长的重要引擎。但是中国的发展还不平衡、不充分，现在更多地只是解决“有没有”的问题，下一步需要更加重视解决“好不好”的问题，特别是提高科技创新能力、建设现代化产业体系、推动发展方式绿色转型等。此次“两会”特别强调高质量发展的重要性并提出一系列具体举措，要求加强各类政策协调配合，形成共促高质量发展合力。“两会”提出GDP增长5%左右的目标，既符合经济规律和现实要求，也向世界展现了中国推动高质量发展的坚定决心。两会还审议通过了国务院机构改革方案，着眼于通过重点领域机构优化调整，更好适应推动高质量发展的需要。尽管今年世界经济形势总体不容乐观，不稳定、不确定、难预料因素仍比较多，但中国将通过打好宏观政策、扩大需求、改革创新、防范化解风险等一系列组合拳，坚定不移推动高质量发展，以自身发展为全球经济注入新活力、增添新动能，为世界创造更多机遇。对中国经济的前景，正如李强总理概括的，就是“长风破浪，未来可期”。
The Two Sessions are an important window to comprehensively understand China’s foreign policy. At the press conference of the two sessions, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang comprehensively explained China’s foreign policy, stressing that China will continue to implement the mutually beneficial strategy of opening-up and always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. What is happening in the world today? What should we do? Humanity is once again standing at the crossroads of history. China’s answer is clear. We will build on our extensive partnerships to promote a new type of international relations. We will take openness and development as our objective. We will facilitate high-quality development and high-standard opening-up. We will uphold an open and inclusive world economy, and will generate new opportunities for the world with our new development. We will take multilateralism as the way forward. We will promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, make global governance more just and equitable. We will offer more, better Chinese insight and solutions to help meet humanity’s common challenges. At present, With the COVID situation turning for the better in China, we’re steadily resuming exchanges with the world. We’ve pressed the “acceleration button”, and sounded the clarion call for our diplomacy. Not long ago, China released the “The Global Security Initiative Concept Paper” and “China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis”, exploring solutions to both the symptoms and the root causes of international security challenges and showing China’s responsibility for maintaining world peace. During the two sessions, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced the restoration of diplomatic relations under the active mediation of China, which is a successful practice of the Global Security Initiative and sets a model for regional countries to resolve conflicts and differences through dialogue and consultation. This year marks the 10th anniversary of China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative, Over the past decade, the BRI has galvanized nearly US$1 trillion of investment, established more than 3,000 cooperation projects, created 420,000 local jobs, and helped lift almost 40 million people out of poverty. China will host the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this year. Taking this as an opportunity, we will work with all relevant parties for more fruitful outcomes from Belt and Road cooperation.
全面理解中国外交政策的重要机会。秦刚国务委员兼外长在两会记者会上全面阐释中国外交政策，强调中国将坚定奉行互利共赢的开放战略，始终做世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者。当今世界变乱交织，世界怎么了？我们该怎么办？人类再次站在历史的十字路口。中国的回答是，我们将以伙伴关系为依托，促进大国协调和良性互动，同各国发展友好合作，推动构建新型国际关系；将以开放发展为目标，服务国内高质量发展和高水平对外开放，维护开放包容的世界经济；将以多边主义为路径，推动构建人类命运共同体，推动全球治理朝着更加公正合理的方向发展，为解决人类面临的共同挑战贡献更多、更好的中国智慧、中国方案。当前，随着疫情形势好转，中外交往有序恢复，中国外交已经按下“加速键”，吹响“集结号”。前不久，中国接连发布《全球安全倡议概念文件》《关于政治解决乌克兰危机的中国立场》，为应对国际安全挑战探索标本兼治的解决方案，展现中国对维护世界和平的责任担当。“两会”期间，沙特、伊朗在中方积极斡旋下宣布恢复外交关系，这是全球安全倡议的一次成功实践，为地区国家通过对话协商化解矛盾分歧树立了典范。今年是中国提出“一带一路”倡议十周年。10年里，倡议拉动近万亿美元投资规模，形成3000多个合作项目，为沿线国家创造42万个工作岗位，让将近4000万人摆脱贫困。今年中国将举办第三届“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛，我们期待与有关各方一道，推动“一带一路”取得更丰硕的成果。
The Two Sessions have sent out rich signals, giving the world a sense of a confident and down-to-earth China. Looking ahead to 2023, it will be a very important year for China’s development, as well as for China-Sierra Leone and China-Africa relations. China is willing to work with Sierra Leone to strengthen high-level contacts, deepen exchanges and cooperation, and promote new progress in the China-Sierra Leone Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, so that the people of our two countries can benefit more from China-Sierra Leone practical cooperation and create a bright new era in our bilateral relations together.
“两会”传递出的丰富信号，让世界感受到一个坚定自信又脚踏实地的中国。展望2023，无论是对中国的自身发展，还是对中塞、中非关系而言都是十分重要的一年。中方愿与塞方共同努力，加强高层交往，深化交流合作，推动中塞全面战略合作伙伴关系不断取得新进展，使两国人民在中塞务实合作中得到更多实惠，共同开创中塞关系的美好新时代。