Comprehensive reforms the way to the Chinese dream
If a Ghanaian reader is asked what he knows about China, some popular words such as panda, the Great Wall, Kungfu and “made in China” may come to his mind.
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But, I think, “reform and opening-up” are two key words often used to describe today's China. Since the introduction of reform and opening-up 35 years ago, China, a developing country with 1.3 billion-plus population and 5,000 years of civilisation, has enjoyed an average GDP growth rate of 9.8 per cent, as the economic scale in 2012 is 142 times that of 1978 and the total import and export volume is 185 times 35 years ago, and become the world's largest commodity exporter, second-largest economy and importing country and the third-largest foreign investor. Great achievements have also been made in the fields of agriculture, industry, education and cutting-edge science and technology.
The world has been greatly impressed by China's progress and is marvelling at the "China Miracle".
Achievements
The Chinese people are very much encouraged that their aggregate economic strength has markedly increased and their positive contributions to the world's development has been wildly recognised.
While being proud of the marvellous achievements, the Chinese people remain sober-minded, bearing in mind that as a developing country with a population of 1.3 billion-plus, the country’s foundation for development is quite poor and the global and its own national conditions continue to undergo profound changes.
China is far from being perfect, facing unprecedented challenges unknown before. According to the IMF, China’s per capita GDP in 2012 is just one seventh of that of the UK and only half of that of the Republic of Gabon, ranking 87th in the world.
There are numerous problems in China either left over from history or lying ahead on our way forward. We are still on our way to pursuing well-balanced, co-ordinated and sustainable development. The weak scientific-technological innovation ability, improper industrial structure, extensive mode of development, uneven development between rural and urban areas and among different regions and many other social contradictions are hindering us from further development.
Challenges
Serious challenges pertaining to education, employment, healthcare, housing, food & drug security, ecological environment, social security, anti-corruption, etc. have also come to the fore. It will be a long and uphill journey before China attains the average economic level of the world.
China is at such a crucial moment, when 3rd Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was convened in Beijing in the wake of 18th CPC National Congress and the communiqué on "major issues concerning comprehensively deepening reforms" was approved at the close of this four-day meeting. This session defines “comprehensively deepening reform” as the only way to realising the Chinese Dream featured by the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The general objective of the reforms, set up in the session, is to improve and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and push on with the modernisation of the country's governing system and capabilities. The communiqué also outlines up to 15 main points of reforms. Given the significance of this session and the strong ties between China and Ghana, I feel a need to summarise these points and share them with Ghanaian readers.
To speed up improving the modern market system and transforming the government functions
According to the communiqué, Reform is the key to resolve China's fundamental economic ailments, and the core solution is the proper handling of the relationship between the government and the market, leaving the market to play the “decisive role” in allocation of resources. The change of the market's role from "basic" to "decisive" in the economy is an important highlight of the communiqué. To fully tap the potential of the market, endeavours will be made to create fair, open and transparent market rules and improve the market price mechanism and financial market system.
To upgrade the role of the market and fully release the vitality of the market, there is the need to improve the government macro-regulatory system and governance, optimise the structure of the governmental organisations and establish a law-based and service-oriented government to wipe out its excessive intervention to the market and lower administrative costs. Accordingly, China will expand the level of opening-up to the world market by virtue of easing market access, accelerating the construction of free trade zones and expanding the opening-up of its inland and border cities.
Economy with diverse forms of ownership
China will uphold and improve its basic economic system, that is, a multi-ownership economic system with public ownership as its main body. While maintaining the dominance of the public-owned sector, development in the non-public sector will be encouraged to stimulate the vitality and creativity in the whole economy. The communiqué categorically declares that both public and non-public sectors of the economy are important components of the socialist market economy and significant bases for economic and social development.
Thereby, the property rights protection system will be improved to ensure the inviolability of their property rights. The state-owned enterprises will be prompted to better adhere to modern corporate practices and supporting healthy development in the non-public economy. The healthy development of the non-public economy will be guaranteed through unified market access system and the abrogation of unreasonable regulations and invisible barriers.
Socialist democratic political system and the rule of law
In sharpening its democracy, China will promote the development of the National People’s Congress system, the consultative democracy and the grassroots democracy to meet the requirements of the ever-changing situation. To eradicate the canker of corruption, a world-wide problem, China will strengthen the restriction and supervision system of power operation and further enhance the rule of law. Coupling with the supervision of the people, open and transparent governance will be exercised so that the abuse of power could be prevented.
A series of supporting systems will also be initiated to back the efforts for building a clean government and political integrity. According to the communiqué, in a bid to build China under the rule of law, it is imperative to build a fair, efficient and authoritative socialist judicial system and safeguard the rights and legitimate interests of the people, and endeavours should be made to uphold the constitution and laws, intensify reforms in administrative law enforcement and ensure independence and fairness in prosecuting bodies and courts, as well as to improve judicial practice and protection of human rights.
Accelerating reforms
China will deepen overall education reform, improve the institutions and mechanisms for employment and “starting-business”, build a fairer and more sustainable social welfare system as well as strengthening the reform on the medical and health system. With respect to the innovation on social management system, the communiqué says that the government will initiate a system that could prevent and solve social contradiction, establish the most rigid supervision system on food and drug safety as well to put more efforts into dealing with safety incident, natural disaster and social security.
The writer of this article is Gong Jianzhong, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana