China and South Africa: Striding Forward Towards Modernisation
共同绘就中南现代化美好图景
Ambassador Chen Xiaodong
驻南非大使陈晓东
23 March 2023
2023年3月23日
On March 15, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, attended the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting in Beijing and delivered a keynote speech entitled “Join Hands on the Path Towards Modernisation”. With the theme of “Path Towards Modernisation: The Responsibility of Political Parties”, the meeting saw presence of leaders from more than 500 political parties and organisations from over 150 countries, including South African President and ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, ANC Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane, and South African Communist Party First Deputy General Secretary Madala Masuku.
3月15日，中共中央总书记、国家主席习近平在北京出席中国共产党与世界政党高层对话会，并发表题为《携手同行现代化之路》的主旨讲话。此次高层对话会以“现代化道路：政党的责任”为主题，南非执政党非国大主席拉马福萨总统、总书记姆巴卢拉、第一副总书记莫卡尼亚内，南非共第一副总书记马苏库以及来自150多个国家500多个政党和政治组织的领导人出席会议。
In his speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping elaborated on the CPC’s understanding of exploring the path of modernisation and proposed the Global Civilisation Initiative, expressing the CPC’s sincere desire to work with political parties of all countries to advance the cause of modernisation with national characteristics, promote the exchanges and mutual learning among different civilisations worldwide, and promote the building of a community with a shared future. His speech demonstrates the CPC’s political courage and sense of responsibility to face the common challenges of mankind, and provides a Chinese solution to promote the world’s modernisation process and the progress of human civilisation.
习近平总书记在讲话中系统阐述了中国共产党关于探索现代化道路的认识，提出了全球文明倡议，表达了中国共产党愿同各国政党一道，推进具有本国特色的现代化事业、促进全球文明交流互鉴、推动构建人类命运共同体的真诚愿望，展现了中国共产党直面人类共同挑战的政治勇气和责任担当，为推动世界现代化进程、促进人类文明进步提供了中国方案。
Focusing on the responsibility of political parties to provide answers to questions relating to the path towards modernisation. As humanity’s modernisation process has once again reached a crossroads of history, General Secretary Xi Jinping stated that “political parties, as an important force steering and driving the modernisation process, are duty bound to provide answers to questions relating to the path towards modernisation. In his speech, Xi provided the CPC’s answers: We must put the people first and ensure modernisation is people-centred; we must uphold the principle of independence and explore diversified paths towards modernisation; we must uphold fundamental principles and break new ground and ensure the continuity of the modernisation process; we must help others to succeed while seeking our own success and ensure all can enjoy the outcomes of modernisation; we must forge ahead with enterprise and ensure firm leadership over modernisation. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s answers clarified important issues such as who modernisation is for, who it relies on, and who it benefits, and demonstrated the CPC’s sense of responsibility to actively explore modernisation theories and innovative practices.
聚焦政党责任，回答现代化之问。当前，人类社会现代化进程又一次来到历史的十字路口。面对现代化之问，习近平总书记指出，“政党作为引领和推动现代化进程的重要力量，有责任作出回答”，进而给出中国共产党的答案：坚守人民至上理念，突出现代化方向的人民性；秉持独立自主原则，探索现代化道路的多样性；树立守正创新意识，保持现代化进程的持续性；弘扬立己达人精神，增强现代化成果的普惠性；保持奋发有为姿态，确保现代化领导的坚定性。习近平总书记的回答明确了现代化为了谁、依靠谁、惠及谁等重要问题，展现了中国共产党积极探索现代化理论和实践创新的责任担当。
Focusing on the dream of national rejuvenation and explaining the global significance of China’s own path to modernisation. The 20th National Congress of the CPC has proposed advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernisation. As such, “Chinese path to modernisation” has become an important keyword for decoding China’s development. In response to questions about the role and significance of Chinese modernisation, General Secretary Xi Jinping offered the powerful and inspiring answers of the CPC: The CPC will continue to pursue high-quality development and promote global growth and prosperity; The CPC will continue to safeguard international fairness and justice and promote world peace and stability; The CPC will continue to promote inter-civilisation exchanges and mutual learning and advance the progress of human civilisations. Today, the Chinese modernisation successfully advanced and expanded under the leadership of the CPC, has presented a new vision different from the Western modernisation model, profoundly rewriting the global map of modernisation and providing valuable experience, inspiration and a new path for developing countries to move towards modernisation.
聚焦复兴梦想，阐释中国式现代化的世界意义。中共二十大明确提出，以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴。“中国式现代化”日渐成为解码中国发展的重要关键词。面对中国式现代化作用与影响之问，习近平总书记给出中国共产党的答案：中国共产党将致力于推动高质量发展，促进全球发展繁荣；维护国际公平正义，促进世界和平稳定；推动文明交流互鉴，促进人类文明进步。天翻地覆慨而慷。今天，中国共产党带领中国人民成功推进并拓展的中国式现代化，展现了不同于西方现代化模式的新图景，深刻改写着世界现代化版图，为发展中国家走向现代化提供宝贵经验启示、全新路径选择。
Focusing on the destiny of humanity and proposing the Global Civilisation Initiative. Exchanges and mutual learning among different civilisations is an important driving force for promoting human progress and world peace and plays an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity’s modernisation process and making the garden of world civilisations flourish. In response to the question on how to promote exchanges and mutual learning among different civilisations, General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Civilisation Initiative: We advocate the respect for the diversity of civilisations; we advocate the common values of humanity; we advocate the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilisations; we advocate robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. The Global Civilisation Initiative is another important global public good provided by China to the international community after the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. It demonstrates the CPC’s great sense of responsibility in pursuing human progress and world harmony. On the new journey, as a new form of human advancement, Chinese modernisation, through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilisations around the world, will greatly enrich the garden of world civilisations and make a greater contribution to peace and development of mankind and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
聚焦人类命运，提出全球文明倡议。文明交流互鉴，是推动人类文明进步和世界和平发展的重要动力，在推动人类社会现代化进程、繁荣世界文明百花园中具有不可替代的作用。面对如何推动世界文明交流互鉴之问，习近平总书记提出全球文明倡议：共同倡导尊重世界文明多样性；共同倡导弘扬全人类共同价值；共同倡导重视文明传承和创新；共同倡导加强国际人文交流合作。全球文明倡议是继全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议后，新时代中国为国际社会提供的又一重要公共产品，彰显了中国共产党“为人类谋进步、为世界谋大同”的担当与气度。新征程上，中国式现代化作为人类文明新形态，与全球其他文明交流互鉴，必将极大丰富世界文明百花园，为促进人类和平与发展事业、推动构建人类命运共同体作出新的更大贡献。
President Ramaphosa highly endorsed the Global Civilisation Initiative proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping and highly appreciated China’s foreign policy that adheres to principles. He called on all countries in the world to strengthen solidarity and collaboration, oppose unilateralism and work together to create a peaceful, prosperous and equitable global order. He also expressed the ANC’s willingness to join hands with the CPC to advance the progress of human civilisation.
拉马福萨总统在讲话中高度赞同习近平总书记提出的全球文明倡议，高度赞赏中国坚持原则的外交政策，呼吁世界各国加强团结协作，反对单边主义，共同创造一个和平、繁荣和公平的全球秩序，表示非国大愿同中国共产党一道，携手推进人类文明的发展和进步。
Since the establishment of the new South Africa, the ANC and the SACP have been learning from the governance experiences of progressive political parties in various countries, actively exploring a development path that suits South Africa’s national conditions, and continuously promoting new achievements in South Africa’s economic and social development. China and South Africa are both developing countries. In recent years, under the joint guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Ramaphosa, political mutual trust between the two countries has continued to deepen, and cooperation in various fields has become increasingly close, bringing tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, and the two countries’ relationship stands at a new historical starting point. China is willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with South Africa, join hands in exploring modernization paths that suit our respective national conditions, and stride forward on the path of building a high-level China-South Africa community with a shared future in the new era with an aim to continuously promote progress in human civilisation through exchanges and mutual learning.
新南非成立以来，非国大、南非共注重借鉴各国进步政党治国理政经验，积极探索适合本国国情的发展道路，推动南非经济社会发展不断取得新成绩。中南同为发展中国家。近年来，在习近平主席和拉马福萨总统共同擘画下，两国政治互信持续深化，各领域合作日益密切，给两国人民带来实实在在的利益。今年是中南建交25周年，两国关系站在新的历史起点上。中方愿与南方加强对话合作，在探索符合本国国情的现代化道路上携手相伴，在构建新时代高水平中南命运共同体的大道上阔步前行，持续推进人类文明的交流、发展和进步。