The Choice by Chinese People Should Be Respected
中国人民的选择勿容置疑
Lithuanian Media Publish a Signed Article by Ambassador Shen Zhifei
驻立陶宛大使申知非在立主流媒体发表署名文章
30 March 2018
2018年3月30日
On March 30th, 2018, the LIETUVOS Rytas, published a signed article by H. E. Mr. Shen Zhifei, Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania, entitled The Choice by Chinese People Should Be Respected. The full text is as follows:
2018年3月30日，驻立陶宛大使申知非在立最大纸媒《立陶宛晨报》上发表题为《中国人民的选择勿容置疑》的署名文章，宣介“两会”精神和成果，展望中国未来发展方向，强调中国特色社会主义道路是中国人民的历史选择。全文如下：
Recently, the First Session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) of China was concluded in Beijing. As a major political event, it is the first session to be held after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China(CPC) last year. Representatives of the NPC reviewed and discussed the Report on the Work of the Government, making suggestions on major issues concerning the national economy and the people’s livelihood, passed the Constitution’s amendments and the State Council’s institutional reform program, established the National Supervisory Commission as an anti-corruption agency and elected new state leaders. During the session, China’s development and reforms have been summarized and deployed, with the release of a large number of policies benefiting people’s livelihood. The achievements of the session of NPC reflected the requirements of the time and echoed the people’s expectations. The Session of NPC, the Chinese economic development and Chinese Path in particular, has aroused great attention from the international community. Many Lithuanian friends congratulated me on the Session’s success and hoped that they could learn more about China through the Session.
日前，中国十三届全国人大一次会议和全国政协十三届一次会议——“两会”在北京落下帷幕。作为中国人民政治生活中的一件大事，今年的两会是中国共产党十九大胜利召开后的第一次全国两会，意义非凡。与会代表委员审议讨论了政府工作报告，围绕涉及国计民生的重大事项建言献策，审议通过宪法修正案和国务院机构改革方案，设立了新的国家监察机构，选举产生了新一届国家领导人。会议还就中国的发展和改革进行了总结和部署，大量“民生红利”政策密集释放。“两会”所取得的成果，反映了时代的要求、代表了人民的心声。中国“两会”受到国际社会高度关注，中国经济、中国道路尤受瞩目，许多立陶宛朋友就两会胜利召开向我表示祝贺，希望通过两会更多地了解中国。
A Positive Outlook of China’s Economy
机遇与挑战并存，中国经济在全面深化改革中再启航
The performance of the China’s economy for the past five years and its future direction can all be answered in the annual government work report delivered by China’s Premier.
过去五年中国经济的表现及未来走向等问题，都能在中国总理所做的政府工作报告中找到答案。
Over the past five years, against the background of the uncertainties of the world economy, China’s GDP has risen from about 8.5 trillion US dollars to 12.2 trillion US dollars, with an average annual growth of 7.1%; and its share in the global economy has increased roughly to 15% up from 11.4%. China’s contribution to global growth has exceeded 30%. With 6.9% of GDP growth in 2017, China handed over a stable and better-than-expected transcript to the world.
五年来，在世界经济发展充满不确定性的背景下，中国国内生产总值从54万亿元（8.5万亿美元）增加到82.7万亿元（12.2万亿美元），年均增长7.1%，占世界经济比重从11.4%提高到15%左右，对世界经济增长贡献率超过30%。2017年中国经济增速为6.9%，向世界交出一份稳中向好、好于预期的成绩单。
The Government Work Report also made a clear plan for China’s economic and social development in 2018. In accordance with the requirements for high-quality development, the target for China’s GDP growth this year is at 6.5%, with the creation of over 11 million new urban jobs and a total of 10 million people to be lifted from poverty. China will continue to transform its growth model, improve its economic structure and foster new drivers of growth, by furthering supply-side structural reform, focusing on the development of real economy and making China a country of innovators etc., to strengthen the stability, sustainability and effectiveness of China’s economic development and seek more economic growth points. China adheres to the path of peaceful development, practices opening-up strategies of mutual benefit and win for all, and will actively promote the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other countries, so as to benefit mankind and make unremitting efforts to build a community with shared future for mankind.
政府工作报告还对2018年中国经济社会发展做出了清晰的规划：按照高质量发展的要求，本年度中国国内生产总值增长预期目标为6.5%左右，城镇新增就业1100万人以上，减少农村贫困人口1000万以上。中国将继续转变发展方式、优化经济结构、转换增长动力，通过深入推进供给侧改革、立足推进实体经济发展、加快建设创新型国家等一系列措施加强中国经济发展的稳定性、持续性，不断增强中国经济活力，寻找更多经济增长点。中国将坚持走和平发展道路，奉行互利共赢的开放战略，积极推进“一带一路”建设，加强同世界各国的交流合作，让中国改革发展造福人类，为构建人类命运共同体做出不懈努力。
On the other hand, we are well aware that China is still a developing country, with some problems caused by unbalanced and inadequate development, unimplemented reunification and external challenges like new trade protectionism etc. Challenges coexist with opportunities. Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, the CPC and the Chinese government will always work diligently and stably, effectively respond to all challenges and overcome all difficulties, to achieve our goals. I firmly believe that the Chinese people have firm will, full confidence and sufficient ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and to achieve complete China’s reunification.
与此同时，我们也清醒地认识到，中国仍是发展中国家，发展不平衡不充分的问题仍然存在，祖国完全统一尚未实现，此外还面临新贸易保护主义抬头等外部挑战。挑战蕴含着机遇。在习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想指引下，中国共产党和中国政府将始终朝乾夕惕、把稳方向、因时制宜，应对各种挑战、克服一切困难，实现我们的既定目标。我坚信，中国人民有坚定的意志、充分的信心、足够的能力维护国家主权和领土完整，实现祖国完全统一。
The Chinese Path Leading to the Chinese Dream
道路直通梦想，中国道路是历史和人民的选择
The new revision of the Constitution, the new leadership, and the new institutional reforms are focuses of the NPC Session this year.
宪法“新修订”、政坛“新阵容”、机构“新改革”是今年两会的诸多“新”看点。
China’s Constitution was revised again after 14 years, which reflects the new achievements and new requirements for the development of the country’s various causes, and provides a strong constitutional guarantee for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in a New Era and the Chinese Dream of realizing the national rejuvenation. Thereinto, “to build a community with shared future for mankind” is included in the Constitution for the first time, which is of great significance. It will not only benefit China’s economic and social development, but also help strengthen global governance and enhance mutual cooperation among the international community.
中国时隔14年再次对宪法进行修订，体现了国家各项事业发展的新成就和新要求，为新时代中国特色社会主义、为实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦提供有力宪法保障。其中，首次将“推动构建人类命运共同体”写入宪法，意义重大，不仅有利于中国经济与社会的发展，也有利于加强全球治理，增进国际社会的相互合作。
The new leaders of the state institutions were elected and appointed. Looking to the future, China is closer to, more confident in and capable of realizing the goal of the national rejuvenation than any time in history, but China is also in a critical period of “climbing over the ridge”. The new era calls for a strong leadership core and leading group that can fight for the complete accomplishments of all goals and tasks. At the NPC session, the re-election of President Xi Jinping and the election of other leaders are exactly out of the expectation of the general public.
选举和决定产生新一届国家机构领导人员。展望未来，中国比历史上任何时期都更接近、更有信心和能力实现中华民族伟大复兴的目标，而中国也正处在“爬坡过坎”的关键时期，新时代呼唤一个强有力的、能够为全面完成各项目标任务而奋斗的领导核心和领导集体。本次两会上，习近平主席的再次当选和其他领导人的产生是众望所归。
The state institutions were merged, reorganized and newly established in the NPC session. The reform has continued to advance in depth, which was conducive to perfecting functions, improving efficiency, and implementing powers and responsibilities, and successfully integrating China’s reform and development into a more dynamic institutional system.
本次两会对中国国家机构进行了合并、重组和新设，改革持续深入推进，有利于完善职能、提升效率、落实权责，成功将中国改革发展各项事业纳入了更有活力的制度体系。
The path determines future and leads to the dream. The Chinese dream of realizing the national rejuvenation is to realize the prosperity of the country, the revival of the nation, and the happiness of the people. To realize the Chinese dream, the Chinese path must be followed. This is the path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics.
道路决定命运，道路直通梦想，实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦，就是要实现国家富强、民族振兴、人民幸福。实现中国梦必须走中国道路，这就是中国特色社会主义道路。
China is the second largest economy and an influential power in the world. What kind of path China will follow in the future will affect the nerves of the international community. During the National People’s Congress, by perfecting and revising the Constitution, the Chinese people made a choice and gave a strong voice: The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the most essential feature of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. In the future, China will build a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, powerful, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, and build a community with shared future for mankind, to safeguard the world’s sustainable development and lasting peace.
中国是世界第二大经济体，是世界范围内有影响力的大国。中国未来要以怎样的方式走怎样的道路，牵动着国际社会的神经。两会期间，通过完善和修改宪法，中国人民做出了选择，发出了坚强有力的声音：中国共产党领导是中国特色社会主义最本质的特征。未来，中国要建设富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化强国，并通过构建人类命运共同体，维护世界的持续发展、持久和平。
China’s development path and model have gained the understanding of most countries and peoples in the world. Just as a senior Lithuanian politician once told me, China’s development in the last five years has attracted worldwide attention and admiration, it has proved the correctness of China’s development model. As long as it can achieve tangible results and benefit more people, it is a good path.
中国的发展道路与模式收获了世界绝大部分国家和民众的理解。正如立陶宛一位资深政治家曾对我表示，中国最近五年取得的发展举世瞩目、令人敬佩，证明了中国发展模式的正确性。只要能取得切切实实的成果，造福更多的老百姓，就是好的发展道路。
At the same time, I also noticed that very few individuals, such as a member of the European Parliament, still have a grudge against China and defamed and vilified Chinese path and model. In my opinion, these people’s remarks are not only the outdated thinking but also the fact that they do not understand China’s history, development process and people’s mind.
我同时也注意到，仍有极个别西方政客，比如某一位欧洲议会的议员，对中国心存芥蒂，对中国道路、中国模式进行抹黑、诋毁。我认为，这些政客的言论，既是旧思维在作祟，也体现其对中国历史、发展进程、中国民情并不了解。
China has enjoyed a splendid civilization of over 5000 years, full of glory as well as hardship. Following the aggression of the Western powers in the 19th to mid-20th century, the Chinese nation experienced suffering of unprecedented proportions. It’s natural and hard-won that China today has succeeded in embarking on a right development path, to achieve the prosperity of the country, the rejuvenation of the nation, and people’s well-being. The path of China’s development is a choice made by history.
中国有5000年文明史，曾经有过历史的辉煌，也经受了苦难的沧桑。特别是在近代，饱受西方列强的侵略和奴役。今天，中国走上了国家富强、人民幸福、民族复兴的正确道路，并非偶然，是来之不易的。中国的发展道路是历史的选择。
China has a population of about 1.4 billion. They know better about China’s actual conditions than anyone else, and they are more qualified to choose the political system and development model for their own. The Chinese path of development is the choice made by the people.
中国有14亿人口，他们比任何人都了解中国的国情，比任何人都有资格选择自己国家的政治制度和发展模式。中国的发展道路是人民的选择。
Despite the fact that Lithuania was once one of the European powers, it also experienced the foreign aggression and interference, suffering from the loss of sovereignty and freedom. Both the Chinese and the Lithuanian people are well aware of the great value of independence and self-determination, and disgusted by the external interference.
立陶宛曾是欧洲强国之一，但在历史上也曾多次遭到外来侵略、干涉，饱尝丧失主权、受制于人之苦，中立人民都深知独立与自决的宝贵价值，都对外来干涉深恶痛绝。
China remains firm in pursuing a foreign policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and resolutely rejects such mentality as the weak are the prey of the strong or winners take all, etc. China will neither export social system or development model, nor denounce the development paths of other countries. Likewise, we don’t allow any other country to interfere with our internal affairs, make irresponsible or even misreading remarks on China’s political system and development path. This path has been and will be further proved right by China’s tangible achievements for its people and contribution to the world. The choice by the Chinese people should be respected.
中国一向秉持不干涉他国内政的对外交往原则，坚决摒弃近代以来国际关系中奉行的弱肉强食、赢者通吃等狭隘理念，既不输出社会制度和发展模式，也不对他国发展情况横加指责。但我们也坚决反对其他人对中国的政治制度和发展道路说三道四，无端曲解。中国将用实实在在的发展成就和世界贡献向世人证明中国道路的正确性，中国人民的选择应该受到尊重。