Photo: GT

According to a Global Times online survey this week, about 96 percent of the Chinese netizen participants believe that the US' attacks on the Communist Party of China (CPC) aim to "sow discord between the Chinese people and the Party to jeopardize solidarity in China," and to "mobilize a new Cold War against China by attaching an anti-CPC ideological label to US' anti-China campaign." Only 2 percent of the participants think "the US does so for China's good."

Usually, the results of online surveys are not as accurate as that of offline ones carried out among random members of the public. But even so, the overwhelming results from the survey reflect the Chinese people's support for the CPC and the Chinese government amid the struggle with Washington. It is evident that the US bid to drive a wedge among the Chinese society is going to fail.  

Although there are different views on why China-US relations have become what they are today, there is a consensus that the main reason is that US political elites don't accept China's rise. Moreover, no matter how much we summarize the experiences of the past, it is quite clear that the struggle between China and the US will last a very long time. China is facing an unprecedented test since the adoption of its reform and opening-up policy. 

Actually, to undergo this big test, Chinese society has no option other than firmly following the CPC's lead and maintaining a high degree of political solidarity. No matter if China is ruled by the CPC or not, as long as it had developed to its status today, the US would have always launched a strategic containment campaign. 

The political differences between the two countries were much deeper in 1972 when former US president Richard Nixon stretched out an olive branch to China. But today, a more open and inclusive China has to undergo suppression from the US. If it were not China but India that holds the world's No.2 position, Washington would have also lashed out on New Delhi. 

It is the CPC's leadership that enables China to withstand pressure from the US. The Chinese yuan's exchange rate to the US dollar has been around 7:1 for years. Such stable rate is a remarkable signal of China's strong resilience. 

The rampant COVID-19 pandemic has allowed the world to see an unprecedented contrast between China and the US. While China has put the epidemic under control, the US has totally lost control of its situation with huge losses. 

Medical workers collect swab samples for residents at Tianshan District in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 20, 2020.Photo:Xinhua

As a big organization, the CPC certainly has to face challenges, and is constantly undergoing Party construction. Under the CPC's leadership, China's response to the US' strategic suppression has worked out preliminarily with the quickly consumed arrogance of the US. The CPC has revealed its strong capability of leading China against major challenges. This is a guarantee for China to move forward steadily through this special period.

Our political system has a lot of advantages that have not been brought out into full play. At the same time, we also need to properly handle problems like bureaucratism and formalism. This is how we Chinese make progress. We know there are reforms ahead and it is not an easy task to push our big country to advance continuously. 

Nonetheless, there is no perfect political system in the world. US-style democracy has plenty of theoretical advantages that have never been fully brought into play. During the Cold War, some of these advantages worked while the Soviet Union failed to change with the times and later lost itself in chaotic reform. So the US won. 

Today the US system has demonstrated more weaknesses. Its ability to self-correct has been severely weakened. For example, the US has been on the wrong path fighting against COVID-19 but it is unable to correct that. Besides, the presidential election should be a promotor of positive competition between the two parties regarding their visions of governance, but it has only served to solidify all the wrongs in its virus fight and further split American society.

I suppose every system has its ideal status that cannot be fully brought out into play. Relatively, whether a system is better or worse depends to what extent it has made full use of itself. I think the Chinese system has been more loyal to its goals like "serving the people" and "revitalizing the Chinese nation" than the US is to its political aims. More importantly, China is continuously improving such loyalty while the US has lost itself in the struggles of interests between Democrats and Republicans. People are pessimistic over whether the situation will change in the US. 

Chinese people are hopeful when they propose some advice or file complaints as they might be heard. People criticize their government but they also resort to the government in the first place when they meet collective major challenges and difficulties, with confidence and hope that the Chinese government will find a way out for them.

Actually most Chinese people have never thought about a political alternative to their country. Following the CPC to overcome every problem we meet is a solid way for us to live a better life. People like the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who attacks the CPC have malevolent intentions. The vast majority of Chinese people are aware of this. 

In the future, the CPC will do better under pressure from the international situation and the supervision of Chinese public opinion. However, the US might further lose its true ideals in the ever-polarizing political atmosphere. It is doubtful that US politicians will put the American people and their country ahead of their own political interests.

It is a long-term struggle in which China's ruling party cannot relax for a moment. Leading China, a country with a weak foundation, toward modernization is still destined to be a long process.

The author is editor-in-chief of the Global Times. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn