（October 24, 2022, World Affairs Council of Philadelphia）
Dear President Swartz,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening!
It is my pleasure to be invited to “Diplochat” today. I feel so happy to meet old and new friends here.
I have visited many different regions and countries. Every time when I was in a different place, I’d like to explore the local history and culture, which helps me to better understand the different systems and development paths of each country. The history of the U.S. starts from Philadelphia. The Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell here represents the history and the spirit of the U.S., allowing people to better understand this country. Meanwhile, China enjoys thousands of years of history. How to understand China? Where will China head to in the future? These are the questions people may be interested in. I would like to share my views on those based on the development stories of four places in China.
First, people will see a confident and self-reliant China from the city of Beijing. Beijing is rich in historical and cultural heritage of Chinese civilization and has witnessed China’s dramatic changes since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. By adapting Marxism to the Chinese conditions and to the traditional Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China (CPC) successfully led the Chinese people to gain national independence and liberation. Eventually, China found a right path toward prosperity and strength. The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China just concluded in Beijing. In President Xi Jinping’s report at the opening session, he introduced the historic achievements over past decade. President Xi emphasized that the central task of the CPC will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. This grand blueprint demonstrates Chinese people’s strong confidence in the country’s development path and prospects.
A Chinese path to modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the CPC. It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context. The path we pursue is one of peace and development, not one of plunder and colonialism; it is a path of win-win cooperation, not one of zero-sum game; and it is one of harmony between man and nature, not one of destructive exploitation of resources. This path is in line with China’s national conditions, conforms to the trend of the times, and has written a “China answer sheet” to many problems in the process of modernization.
Nowadays, some people deliberately provoke ideological confrontation between China and the U.S.. They identify China as the primary rival and the most serious long-term challenge, and hype the “China threat theory”, which is a misunderstanding and misjudgment of China’s institutions and development intentions. Traditional Chinese culture stresses moderation and humility. China’s development and revitalization has a clear historical logic and strong endogenous driving force. The 1.4 billion Chinese people moving toward modernization and common prosperity is a huge progress for mankind. Our goal is to become a better version of ourselves and to make the world a better place because of China.
As a Chinese old saying goes, “Just as heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-perfection.” China will continue to follow its chosen path and direction, and will forge ahead steadily along this path toward greater success.
Second, people will see China’s people-centered development from Guizhou Province. Guizhou was once the province with the largest number of poor people in China. In the past decade, Guizhou has ranked first in China in terms of poverty alleviation. People of all ethnic groups were lifted out of poverty and lived a happy life. The development of Guizhou is a microcosm of tremendous changes in many Chinese cities and towns. We have won the largest battle against poverty in human history and has met the poverty reduction goal of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ten years ahead of schedule. We have built the world’s largest social security network and compulsory education system. With the new vision for development featuring innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, Chinese people have green mountains and lucid waters which are indeed mountains of gold and silver. The people-centered philosophy of development allows more and fairer benefits to all the people in the modernization processes.
Some people are propagating fallacies such as “genocide” and “forced labor” in Xinjiang, which is another multi-ethnic region of China. This is a malicious smear of China’s human rights philosophy, development philosophy and achievements. “The state respects and safeguards human rights” has been written into the Chinese Constitution. Improving people’s sense of happiness, gain and security is our goal. For more than 60 years since the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region was established, the region’s economy has grown 160 times. Its Uyghur population expanded from 2.2 million to about 12 million. Where can you find such a so-called “genocide”? Workers of all ethnic backgrounds in Xinjiang are free to choose their occupations and fully enjoy the protection of their labor rights and remuneration. In contrast, the sanction measures taken by the U.S. towards Xinjiang are creating “forced unemployment” and forcing Xinjiang returning to poverty.
“The people are the foundation of a country and only when the people lead a good life can the country thrive.” China’s development is for the people, by the people, and with the people sharing in its fruits. We will continue to meet the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life, so that everyone can share the opportunity to live a brilliant life and make their dreams come true.
Third, people will see an open and inclusive China from Shanghai. Shanghai is the place where The first National Congress of the CPC was held, and it is also at the forefront of China’s reform and opening up. From the development of Pudong to the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone, from the World Expo to the China International Import Expo, Shanghai has witnessed China’s opening-up and mutually beneficial cooperation with the world in a larger scope, to wider areas and at deeper levels. China’s market has become a market for the world, a market shared by all, and a market accessible to all.
Shanghai has also witnessed the normalization of China-U.S. relations. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the issuance of the Shanghai Communiqué. It shows the wisdom of “agreed to disagree”. The older generation of leaders of both countries realized that despite their differences, neither side had the intention to change the other. Both sides hoped to conduct cooperation based on shared interests. The core of the Shanghai Communiqué is the Taiwan question, and the one-China principle is the cornerstone of China-U.S. relations. Guided by the spirit of the Shanghai Communiqué, China and the United States have achieved a series of major progress in their relations. The way for China and the U.S. to get along in the new era is also enshrined in the Shanghai Communiqué. President Xi Jinping put forward the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation. The three principles are not only a furtherance of historical experience, but also basic principles that should be jointly followed in the way forward.
Recently, the U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other government officials’ visit to the Taiwan region, as well as the U.S. Congress reviewing of The Taiwan Policy Act of 2022, gravely undermined the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. If you put yourself in others’ shoes -- if an American state were to secede from the U.S., and then some other nation provided weapons and political support for that state, would the U.S. government and people allow it? History brooks no falsification, and what is right or wrong should not be distorted. We hope that the United States should honor its political commitments to China.
Ancient Chinese philosophy teaches us to both strengthen ourselves and help others where possible. We will firmly adhere to a win-win strategy of opening-up and provide more development opportunities globally to share the fruits of China’s development. We will always be committed to the foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development and promote coordination between major countries. As two countries with different social system, history and culture, we need to view our relations in a broader perspective and more inclusive attitude, and choose dialogue over confrontation, cooperation over conflict, openness over seclusion, and integration over decoupling.
Fourth, people will see a warm and friendly China from Tianjin. Shortly after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S., Tianjin and Philadelphia became sister cities. The Chinatown Arch in Philadelphia is a symbol of this friendship. Philadelphia’s exchanges and cooperation with China have a deep historical origin. In 1973, the Philadelphia Orchestra visited China for the first time. Chinese people began to learn Western music from its performance. Mayor Kenny once told me that Chinese has become the third most common language in Philadelphia. The stories of people-to-people exchanges between Philadelphia and China are the footnotes of the friendship between the Chinese and American people. The two countries have established 50 pairs of sister states and 233 pairs of sister cities. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 300 flights shuttled between the two countries every week; over five million travels were made across the Pacific every year and more than 400,000 Chinese students studying in the U.S.
In recent years, affected by the political atmosphere of the U.S toward China and the pandemic, the friendly exchanges between China and the United States have encountered a “counter-current”. Some people in the U.S. have politicized issues such as science and technology, economy and trade, as well as education, which impact local mutually beneficial cooperation. However, the desire of the two peoples for peace, development, exchanges and cooperation is unstoppable. We are willing to work with you to promote exchanges at sub-national levels and between cities and peoples to strengthen the bond of friendship between China and the U.S..
“ Good friends feel close even when they are thousands of miles apart.” We will continue to build a bridge of friendship for greater affinity and mutual understanding. We’d like to work with all countries to make every effort for peace and development, shoulder the responsibility for solidarity and progress, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and embrace an even better world.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The above four stories are just a few small waves in the tide of China’s development. I hope that after the pandemic, you all can go to China to study, work, and travel, and see different dimensions of China by yourself.
Thank you!