Reform in new era an opportunity for world

(Jin Ding/China Daily)

The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in July adopted the "Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization", which is a new blueprint for China's reform and opening-up. The resolution sends a strong message to the world that China remains committed to advancing reform and opening-up, and creating more opportunities for the world in the new era.

Reform and opening-up have been crucial to the cause of the Party and the people, enabling China to catch up with the times. The third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee 11 years ago was of epoch-making significance, as it marked the start of a new journey of comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, thus paving the way for a brand new stage in China's reform and opening-up efforts.

At its third plenum, the 18th CPC Central Committee set up the "Commission on Comprehensively Deepening Reform", with CPC Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping taking the lead and chairing 72 meetings of the commission since then. Over 2,000 programs introduced since then have elevated reform and opening-up to higher levels.

From establishing 22 pilot free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port and the signing and entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership to the building of a globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas, from repeatedly shortening the negative list for foreign investment to reducing market access restrictions in telecommunications, healthcare and other services sectors, from promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to establishing international cooperation platforms for trade and economic exchanges, the measures to widen high-quality opening-up have benefited the international community and given it enough reasons for being optimistic about China's growth outlook.

China has remained the world's largest goods trading country for seven years, and the world's largest exporter and second-largest importer for 15 years. It has also been one of the top three sources of outbound investment in the world for 11 years, benefiting 155 countries and regions.

The present and the near future constitute a critical period for China to achieve its goal of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization. To deal with the complex situations at home and abroad, adapt to the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and to better serve the people, it is vital that China continues to advance reform.

The third plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee said the objective of comprehensively deepening reform is to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China's system and capacity for governance. China has resolved to build a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, modernize national governance and governance capacity, and basically realize socialist modernization by 2035.

Those achievements will lay a solid foundation for developing China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century. To steadily advance reform, China will focus on building a high-standard socialist market economy, advancing whole-process people's democracy, developing a strong socialist culture, improving people's quality of life, strengthening the Party's capacity for leadership and long-term governance, and building a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by the middle of this century.

The resolution of the third plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee said that China will firmly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace, help build a community with a shared future for mankind, remain committed to the common values of all humanity, pursue the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, work with the international community to build a fairer and more representative world order, uphold economic globalization and reform the global governance system.

Also, China will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, national security, and territorial integrity, as well as development interests, foster a favorable external environment for further deepening reform to advance Chinese modernization, and improve the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

These measures will help advance Chinese modernization, and create more opportunities for China and the rest of the world to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and prosper together. The first half of 2024 has seen China's economy performing well, with GDP growing by 5 percent and investment in high-tech sectors rising by 10.6 percent, which prompted the International Monetary Fund to revise its forecast for China's growth in 2024.

The global business community, too, is optimistic about China's economic prospects, with new foreign enterprises in China increasing by 14.2 percent. China welcomes all countries to participate in its domestic market and benefit from the opportunities created by the country.

The resolution of the third plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee says the country will support the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions to build themselves into global hubs for high-caliber talents and play a greater role in the country's opening-up, and deepen cooperation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

In this regard, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will fully support all sectors of Macao society in implementing the resolution of the third plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee by further leveraging Macao's unique advantages endowed by "one country, two systems" and its role as a platform for international cooperation.

Since its return to the motherland 25 years ago, the Macao SAR has enjoyed the biggest constitutional advantage-"one country, two systems" — abundant development opportunities, a highly internationalized business environment, a strong economic foundation, the advantages of multiculturalism, and strong patriotism. These advantages and the embracing of new opportunities created by deepening reform and opening-up will turn Macao into a more successful and attractive international metropolis.

The author is the commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region.

The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.