14 December 2021
By Song Tao
As the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) celebrate their centenaries in the year 2021, it is of great significance that we take stock of the 100-year struggle of both parties so as to deepen our solidarity and cooperation, and bring greater benefits to our two peoples. At the outset, I wish to extend warm congratulations on the centenary of the SACP and salute the SACP for the important contributions it has made to the national liberation and independence as well as to the explorations and development of the socialist cause in South Africa. Being the largest and most influential Marxist political party in Africa and taking Marxism as its guide, the SACP, for the last century, has provided theoretical guide for the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) in South Africa, and played a historic role in the struggle for the emancipation of the black poor, the dismantling of the apartheid regime, and the founding of the new South Africa. In the post-1994 period, the SACP, while holding high the banner of “Socialism is the Future, Build it Now!” in its relentless efforts to build the New South Africa, has stayed committed to the ANC-led Alliance and relied on the working class and the poor, as it persisted in advancing the NDR and in marking socialist explorations in light of the national realities. The century-long struggle of the SACP testifies to the tenacious vitality of scientific socialism.
The SACP has been among the pioneers in South Africa and indeed in Africa to develop contacts with the CPC. As early as in 1947, the news on the opening of the SACP national congress appeared on the People's Daily, the official organ of the CPC Central Committee. In the early days of the People’s Republic, both Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai devoted particular care to supporting the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. SACP leaders including Yusuf Dadoo visited China on many occasions and found their warmest welcome from the CPC and the Chinese people. The special bond of “camaraderie +brotherhood” between our two parties has developed further in recent years as highlighted by the frequent interactions between top leadership and the growing depth of our exchanges. In the wake of COVID-19, we have strengthened cooperation on pandemic response and maintained active contact through cloud meetings. What we have done together served to inject powerful impetus to the development of relations between our two parties and two countries. We wish to place on record our heartfelt appreciation for the SACP’s consistent stance on the one-China principle and valuable support it has rendered on issues regarding China’s core interests and major concerns such as those related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South China Sea. On our part, the CPC will as always continue to deliver our support to the just causes of the SACP.
Having pulled through a magnificent century of arduous struggle, the 100-year-old party is at its prime and becoming stronger as never before. As the centenary of the CPC approaches in 2021, we recall the glorious century in which the CPC has stayed true to its original aspiration and founding mission, in which a solid foundation has been laid against all odds, and in which the outstanding achievements have opened a new horizon for the future. Under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese people have made the historic leap from independence to prosperity and strength. At present, in the run-to to the grand centenary celebrations, the CPC has launched an intensive Party history study and education programme among its membership to reaffirm the Party’s original aspiration and founding mission, and fortify the ideal and conviction, so as to gain a better understanding of the law of history on the new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects. In light of this, I may share with our comrades at the SACP what we have learned from our experience over the past 100 years.
Consistent efforts must be made to uphold the leadership core of the Party and strengthen the leadership by the party. The century-long struggle of the CPC has amply demonstrated that so long as the whole Party firmly upholds its leadership core, the cause of the Party would achieve one resounding victory after another, and likewise, if the leadership by the Party is weakened, the cause of the Party would suffer setbacks. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, China has made historic achievements and undergone historic changes, with the solution of many tough problems that had been long on the agenda but never solved, and the accomplishment of many undertakings that had long been wanted but never got done. As a result, the task of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been completed on schedule and the first centenary goal the Party set for itself has come to fruition. We shall firmly uphold the core position of General Secretary Xi Jinping in both the Party Central Committee and the Party as a whole, firmly uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralised, unified leadership, and rally more closely around the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, so as to ensure that the Party unities and leads the Chinese people from victory to victory.
Consistent efforts must be made to pursue a development path suited to specific national conditions and stay committed to advancing the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The future and destiny of a country hinges on the direction and the path it chooses. When it comes to building socialism, there has been no precedent to follow for China, a large country of 1.4 billion with over 5,000 years of civilisation. The century-long struggle of the CPC has demonstrated that the path, the theory, the system and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics conform to China’s specific conditions, and thus open up a broad road to the development of contemporary China. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has steered socialism with Chinese characteristics into a new era. China has grown to be the world’s second largest economy, the largest industrial manufacturer and the largest trader of goods. It was the only major economy registering positive growth in 2020 with its economic aggregate exceeding US$15 trillion. We will stay on the right direction to promote the modernisation of China’s governance system and capacity, and to pursue continued progress of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Consistent efforts must be made to ensure the guiding role of Marxism, and equip the minds of the entire membership with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Marxism is a powerful ideological weapon for us to understand the world, grasp its underlying laws, and seek truth. For the past 100 years, the CPC has adapted the basic tenants of Marxism to the Chinese context with continuous theoretical and practical innovations. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era represents the latest achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, and encapsulates the practical experience and collective wisdom of our Party and the people. It is part and parcel of the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and serves as a guide to action and fundamental principle to achieve national rejuvenation. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we shall continue to equip our minds with the latest theoretical innovations of the Party, and apply them in our practice and actual work, so as to open up new vistas for Marxism of the 21st century.
Consistent efforts must be made to adopt the people-centred approach and act upon the Party’s fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly. “The people are the foundation of governance.” For the past 100 years, the CPC has always put people in the uppermost position. Devoted to the goal of meeting the people’s aspirations for a better life, we have worked relentlessly to ensure all our people have a greater sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has organised and implemented a decisive battle against poverty that is unprecedented in scale and intensity, benefiting the largest population in human history. A total of 98.99 million rural population living under the current poverty line were lifted out of poverty in China. By addressing extreme poverty, an issue haunting the Chinese nation for thousands of years, China has met the first target of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule. Going forward, we shall continue to put people above everything else, work hard to meet people’s urgent needs and expectations, so as to march steadily towards the goal of common prosperity.
Consistent efforts must be made to strive for human progress and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Over the past century, the CPC has always taken it as its mission to constantly make greater contribution to the humankind to play its significant role in promoting world peace and human progress. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping, with the future of the entire humanity in mind, has firmly grasped the major domestic and global development trends, and set forth a series of global public goods to steer human development and progress, including the building of a community of a share future for mankind, a new model of international relations, Belt and Road cooperation, a global community of health for all, and a community of life for human and Nature. Committed to serving the fundamental interests of the people in China and that of the world people at large, we shall safeguard our own interests and at the same time promote the common development of humanity. We shall closely relate the future of China with that of the world, and work tirelessly to build a better future for the world we live in.
Today, the concurrence of changes unseen in a century and the once-in-a-century pandemic has brought the world into a period of fluidity and transformation. Instability and uncertainty are clearly on the rise. Humanity now stands at a new crossroads. As the like-minded good comrade and good brother of the SACP’s, the CPC is more than willing to enhance solidarity and cooperation with the SACP, thus making even greater contributions to the wellbeing of our two peoples and the progress of mankind.
First, we need to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning between our two parties. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, political parties in various countries should strengthen mutual trust, dialogue and coordination, and explore the building of a new type of party-to-party relations that seeks to expand common ground while reserving differences and enhances mutual respect and mutual learning on the basis of a new model of international relations. He stresses that we do not want to “import”model from other countries, nor do we want to “export” the Chinese model, still less will we ask other countries to “replicate” the Chinese practice. We are ready to further uplift the level of structured exchanges and share governance experience between our two parties so that both parties can grow even stronger and develop even better.
Second, we need to do more to promote the development of relations between our two countries. Political parties are the fountainhead of a country’s domestic and foreign policies, representing and shaping public opinion on the one hand, and on the other, working to implement various policies. As the governing party of China and a member of the Alliance of South Africa respectively, the CPC and the SACP need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation through firmly supporting each other in pursuing development paths suited to specific national realities, rendering mutual understanding and support on issues of each other’s core interests and major concerns. This will be conducive to the development of the China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership and to the building of an even closer China-Africa community with a share future.
Third, we need to do more to improve the wellbeing of our two peoples. To seek happiness for the people is the common goal of our two parties. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPC is willing to share with the SACP our experience and practice in coordinating epidemic response with economic and social development. We need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation in the fight against COVID-19, and work together to build a community of health for all. As China is completing the task of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, we are in a position to strengthen practical cooperation with the SACP on poverty eradication, betterment of people’s lives, and Belt and Road development with the view to improving people-to-people bonds and bringing more tangible benefits to our peoples.
Fourth, we need to work together to advance human progress. Faced with the complex international situation, our two parties shall keep in mind the future and destiny of mankind, uphold the common values of the entire humanity, and stand opposed to hegemony, unilateralism or interference in other countries’ internal affairs. We should take firm actions to counter “colour revolution”, and help establish a new model of international relations featuring mutual respect, equity, justice and win-win cooperation. In our concerted efforts to build a global community with a shared future, we need to adapt to the tides of history, promote and facilitate the free flow of trade and investment, uphold diversity of civilisations, and more importantly, enhance the representation and voice of developing countries in global governance.
Cde Song Tao is Minister of the International Department, CPC Central Committee
