Translated "Avante!" article by Luis Carapinha, Member of the PCP International Department
The Communist Party of China closed down the curtain on its XVIII Congress, at the sound of The International. The Chinese Communists’ great meeting, concluded on the 14th, was attentively followed throughout the world. The CPCh has ruled China since the revolution triumph and the Popular Republic foundation, in 1949 and , currently has, among its party, over 80 million militants. In 2007, there were 73,5 million. Since then, the Chinese economy has strived four degrees, and has become, in absolute terms, the second greatest, in the world. Within the whole of Chinese exports, machinery and equipments grew, which confirms the country’s progression within the work international division value chain. China represents an outstanding role amid the international context, an example of the force correlation change, which is rising worldwide. The great capitalist powers and above all, the USA, do not conceal their concern towards the “Chinese ascension”, strongly betting on a military contention direction, at the same time respected analytical centres and supra-national organs outline China’s absorption recipes and programmes, within the dominant world order ( the so- longed for “pacific transition”). All in the name of democracy rules , competitiveness, innovation qualifications, etc …etc… [of an exploiter system in deep crisis, incapable of eluding the stagnation and decline dynamics of the major capitalist powers, which “economic rationality” was unable of previewing the crisis in which it is submerged].
The Congress’ approved report charts the course of the country for the years to come. The economic development and productive forces carry on to be emphasized . The Chinese GDP in 2020 is to duplicate compared to 2010. One of the CPCh’s goals s is to insert in its objectives the improvement of the Chinese people’s life conditions and the socialist construction, calling upon the perspective that China is, currently, at socialism’s primary stage. During the closing speech, Hu Jintao recalled that “ the path towards socialism with Chinese characters” and the corresponding system of socialism theories and the socialist system are “the Party’s and people’s major achievements during the hard struggles of the last 90 years”. The previous secretary-general’s delivered report reaffirms the central role of public property in China’s basic economic system. The Financial Times, reacting to the document on the 8th, says the state sector “ has under its control the economic key-posts, such as finance, transport, telecommunications, resources and media means”.
One cannot ignore the dimension and complexity of the challenges and threats China is confronted with along the socialist construction path. Hu Jintao’s report is emphatically concerned with the need of improving social services, income distribution and the fight against corruption. The new secretary-general Xi Jinping’s first public statement highlights the party’s urgent problems, such as corruption, mass alienation and bureaucracy. Social inequality level has not stopped increasing, for the last decades. The colossal accumulation and state investment rates have, as a reverse, the decrease of work incomes ( from 56.5% GDP in 1983 to 36.7% GDP in 2005, PD. Com, 2010.06.09).
When China is concerned, imperialism knows how to be patient. But time is short. An Asia Times from Hong Kong columnist, wrote on the 14th: “ China’s challenge: war or peace (…). China’s political transition is of substantial importance for the world (…) the question is not anymore China’s integration in the world economy, but otherwise China’s whole integration within the global world political system”. The Voice of America had given news on Panetta’s visit to Australia together with the Canberra agreement, in order to the Pentagon install a powerful radar.
Concerning world peace, the peoples and workers struggle together with social progress forces, the safeguard and the fate of the socialist construction in China, are of the greatest expression.