Communist Party’s Success Is Built on Putting People First

以人民为中心，必无往而不胜

 

Commissioner Liu Guangyuan’s Article on South China Morning Post

驻香港公署特派员刘光源在《南华早报》发表署名文章

 

1 September 2021

2021年9月1日

 

As a diplomat, I am often asked how the Communist Party of China could continuously achieve success and how China could develop so fast. My answer has always been: putting people first.

这些年来，无论走到哪里，当地朋友谈起中国时总问，中国共产党为什么能够取得成功？中国为什么发展这么快？我的答案自然是围绕着两个字——人民。

 

Over the past century, the party has led the Chinese people in an arduous journey to found the People’s Republic of China and advance reform and opening up. Today, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era and the Chinese nation is marching towards great rejuvenation. History tells us that the principle of “for the people and by the people” is the formula of success.

一百年来，中国共产党带领中国人民经过艰苦卓绝斗争，改天换地建立新中国，翻天覆地推进改革开放。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，中华民族迎来了实现伟大复兴的光明前景。历史告诉我们，只有始终坚持以人民为中心，一切为了人民，一切依靠人民，才能取得一个又一个的胜利。

 

Xi Jinping, the party’s general secretary, has stressed that the people are the party’s roots, lifeblood and source of strength. The party represents the fundamental interests of all Chinese people and has no special interests of its own. Now on a journey towards the second of China’s twin centenary goals, to fully build a great modern socialist country, the party stays true to its original aspiration and mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation.

习近平总书记指出，“中国共产党根基在人民、血脉在人民、力量在人民。中国共产党始终代表最广大人民根本利益，与人民休戚与共、生死相依，没有任何自己特殊的利益”。新征程上，中国共产党正在深刻实践着为民的初心和使命。

 

Chinese diplomats strive to promote the well-being of all Chinese people and benefit the world. Whether during a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic or in places plagued by wars, China does its best to safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese citizens. Our consular hotline 12308, running 24 hours a day, has handled about 3,000 calls on average every day over the past year and last year we evacuated more than 2,000 Hong Kong residents from Covid-19 affected areas. Chinese foreign policy is independent-minded. It seeks to foster peace and win-win cooperation in international exchange, and advances economic globalisation so as to create a sound external environment for China’s development and share China’s opportunities with the wider world. China’s efforts are aimed at enabling people to live a happier life, but not at others’ expense. At the same time, the Chinese people will never allow anyone to harm our sovereign security and development interests.

外交为民，合作共赢。中国外交坚持人民立场，致力增进中国人民福祉并惠及世界。无论在疫情肆虐之时，还是在战火纷飞之地，我们全力维护海外中国公民的安全与合法权益。外交部12308热线24小时值守，过去一年日均处理同胞救助约3000起，从疫区接返香港居民2000余人。我们始终奉行独立自主的和平外交政策，坚持互利共赢的开放战略，不断深化对外合作与交流，积极参与推动经济全球化，为国家发展营造良好外部条件，以更高的开放水平同各国分享中国机遇。中国所做的一切努力是为了让人民过上更加幸福的生活，而不是像有些人臆想的“要取代谁”。但如果有人企图损害我们的主权安全和发展利益，中国人民也绝不答应。

 

We take a science-based, people-first approach to fighting Covid-19. As soon as the pandemic hit, we ensured all those in need were tested, warded in hospitals and treated. We provided free nucleic acid tests, treatment and vaccines to raise admission and recovery rates and lower infection and fatality rates. From newborn babies to centenarians, we spared no effort to save each and every life. We adopted sound public health measures and made adjustments as the situation evolved. We also resumed economic and social activities in an orderly manner without letting down our guard. The 1.4 billion Chinese people looked after each other and swiftly contained the spread of the virus, including its variants, making great contributions to the global Covid-19 response. Facing a similar crisis, some friends in other countries have asked how China has managed to control the virus while they have failed.

生命至上，科学抗疫。我们把人民生命安全和身体健康放在第一位，实施应检尽检、应收尽收、应治尽治，免费核酸检测、免费治疗、免费接种疫苗，努力提高收治率和治愈率，降低感染率和病亡率。从出生仅30小时的婴儿至100多岁的老人，不计代价抢救每一位患者的生命。我们动态采取科学公共卫生措施，在毫不放松加强防控的同时，稳妥有序放开经济社会活动，14亿中国人民坚韧团结、守望相助，迅速控制包括变种病毒在内一波又一波疫情来袭，也为世界范围的疫情防控作出积极贡献。面对同样的抗疫大考，有外国朋友感叹“为什么中国做到了而我们不行”？

 

China has eliminated extreme poverty and now aims to achieve common prosperity. At the ceremony marking the party’s centenary, Xi announced that China has achieved the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Over the past eight years, nearly 100 million rural residents living below the poverty line in China have been lifted out of poverty. Meanwhile, the share of permanent urban residents has grown to more than 60 per cent of the population, and the middle class to over 400 million. China has created a miracle in the history of poverty reduction. We now attach greater importance to common prosperity and aim to create an “olive-shaped social structure”, with middle-income households forming the mainstay of the economy, by promoting high-quality development, improving social systems, and creating a fair and balanced income distribution pattern. This will better serve the people’s growing need for a better life. Nowadays, it is popular for young people in their 20s and 30s to go to grass-roots communities and the rural areas to start a business. By pursuing their personal dreams, they contribute to the realisation of the Chinese dream.

脱贫攻坚，共同富裕。在中国共产党百年华诞之际，习近平总书记庄严宣告中国全面建成小康社会。八年来，中国现行标准下近1亿农村贫困人口全部脱贫，城镇化率超过60%，中等收入群体超过4亿人，彻底解决了绝对贫困问题，创造了人类减贫史上的奇迹。在此基础上，我们更加注重共同富裕，通过推动高质量发展、优化民生保障制度、形成公平合理的收入分配格局有力举措，构建“橄榄型”社会，更好满足人民日益增长的美好生活需要。现在90后、00后的中国青年流行到基层去、到农村去，带头创业创新，在为实现中国梦贡献力量的同时实现自己的人生梦想。

 

The rise or fall of a political power depends on whether it accommodates the people’s will. International polls have indicated over and over again that Chinese people’s approval of their government ranks among the highest in the world. This shows that only by putting people first and serving the people wholeheartedly can we gain the trust and support of the people. However, some countries that proclaim themselves a “beacon of democracy” ignore the aspirations of their people, abuse procedural democracy, engage in money-tainted politics, and protect only the interests of the privileged classes. Globally, they attempt to bully, oppress and exploit other countries. Their moves have not succeeded and will not in the future.

政之所兴在顺民心，政之所废在逆民心。中国人民对党和政府的支持率在多次国际民调中高居全球之首，说明以人民为中心、全心全意为人民服务，才能获得最广大人民的信任和支持。而如果像有些国家那样标榜“民主灯塔”，实则忽视人民诉求，滥用程序民主形式，玩弄金钱政治花招，只维护小集团和特权阶层利益，或者还想在国际上对别国人民搞霸凌欺压剥削那一套，必然不得人心，现在没有成功，将来也不会成功。

 

The country is its people and the people are the country. The Communist Party was chosen by history and the people, which is the source of its confidence. The future will bring further changes and challenges, but the party will continue to unite and lead the Chinese people to build a great modern socialist country in all respects, and make new contributions to world peace and development and human progress.

“江山就是人民，人民就是江山”。历史和人民选择了中国共产党。这是我们最大的底气和信心。展望未来，纵有风云变幻、艰难险阻，中国共产党必将团结带领中国人民续写全面建设社会主义现代化强国的新华章，也将继续为世界和平发展与人类进步事业作出新贡献。