Lujiazui, a financial zone in Shanghai Photo: VCG

Discussion of Chinese modernization has culminated during this year's ongoing two sessions, with foreign envoys and experts hailing that Chinese modernization has shed light on an alternative development path for nations. The Chinese path of realizing modernization, centering on independence, peace and the public good, provides the developing world an alternative to Western countries' road to modernization, which was achieved mainly via colonization and pillage, experts said. 

Moreover, those foreign envoys and experts see hope as China embarks on a new journey and a new stage for development, as the world's second-biggest economy responded to global expectations and reiterated its pledge to work for global development and peace, which has injected much needed vitality to a global economy that is wrecked by COVID-19, unilateralism from certain Western countries and other factors. 

Each town has to make its way, but without doubt, the concept of "Characteristics of the Chinese Path to Modernization" helps many of us to clarify priorities and objectives. Modernization has to reach all social sectors, provide common prosperity, allow personal and collective development, and do so in harmony with humanity and the planet we live on, in a sustainable and peaceful manner. In this regard, I want to highlight the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative, presented by China within the framework of the United Nations, Argentine Ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaja told the Global Times.

Former ambassador of Venezuela to Cuba Adan Chavez told media that his country needs to learn from China about how to achieve great victories like poverty alleviation, one of the greatest achievements China has made.

Chinese modernization has spurred discussions at home and abroad since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2022. During this year's two sessions, the Chinese modernization blueprint will be fleshed out with specific targets to strive for. As this year marks the first year of this new journey, the new measures that will be unveiled at the two sessions not only matter to China, but to other countries as well.

According to this year's Government Work Report, China will make solid progress in advancing Chinese modernization. "We should, with a focus on key industrial chains in the manufacturing sector, pool quality resources and make concerted efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields," it said. 

In the eyes of Martin Jacques, a visiting professor at the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University and a senior fellow at the China Institute, Fudan University, instead of advocating the jungle law of nation-states, where the writ of the strongest reigns supreme, "China propounds new forms of global collaboration," as exemplified by the Belt and Road Initiative and the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind, as the way of the future.

Achieving modernization in a country with a population of more than 1.4 billion will be an unprecedented feat in human history, and Chinese modernization offers solutions to many challenges facing human development, and dispels the myth that modernization is Westernization, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said during a press conference on Tuesday on the sidelines of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress.

Qin detailed five features of Chinese modernization, which are independence, putting people first, peaceful development, openness and inclusiveness and working hard in unity. 

In contrast with Western-style modernization, which is driven by profits and capitalism, and as a result benefits only a small group of people, Chinese modernization is to let everyone usher in such process, Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

Chinese modernization has broken a myth created by Western countries that wealth can only be created via colonization and pillage, said Li, noting that the Chinese path proves that modernization can be achieved via a peaceful model, and offers an alternative for other developing countries. 

Western modernization vs Chinese modernization. Graphic: GT

Eyeing China's development 

This year's two sessions, which will lay out the roadmap for implementing the plans of the 20th National Congress of the CPC and the first since China triumphed over COVID-19, has attracted the world's attention. People from many countries say China's development is of great importance to the world and its development experience is worth learning. They believe this year's two sessions herald China's entry to a new development stage that will inject the world with much needed vitality for a global recovery. 

I attended the opening ceremonies of this year's two sessions - the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the 14th National People's Congress (NPC). This is my first time attending the meetings of such important and top-level legislature and advisory bodies of China respectively. They are decisive for the future political development of China, Nepali Ambassador to China Bishnu Pukar Shrestha told the Global Times. 

The ongoing sessions hold special importance to the Chinese and the world as they are being held for the first time after China's decisive victory over COVID-19. Therefore, all eyes are now on the two sessions, with many expecting that the sessions will come up with good news for the pandemic and wars-stricken world, Musundali Bhuiyan, a Bangladeshi journalist told the Global Times. 

As a committed and responsible global partner, China has also responded to global expectations and reiterated its pledge to work for global development and peace. In the Government Work Report presented to the sessions, China announced its readiness to work with the international community to put into action the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative and promote the shared values of humanity, said Bhuiyan. 

More importantly, Bhuiyan said, the report mentioned that China will remain firm in pursuing a strategy of opening up for mutual benefits, making the world more optimistic about a better future. Bangladesh is not an exception in this case. As a strategic partner of China, Bangladesh can also benefit from the decisions to be taken in the sessions.