Solidarity and struggle behind China’s 70 years of accomplishments

Note: The following article is taken from the Chinese-language "Commentaries on International Affairs."

Celebrations held on Tuesday to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China were broadcast around the globe, sharing the joy and pride of the Chinese people with the world. The grand rallies were a demonstration of the spirit of solidarity and struggle of the Chinese nation. This spirit was the key to the country’s achievements over the past seven decades, and will remain so in the years to come.

A grand rally iwas held to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing on the morning of Tuesday, October 1, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua]

In unity there is strength. The Chinese people proved the significance of unity when they overcame difficulties such as blockades by the West, major natural disasters, and challenges in the process of reform and opening up process. Take the development of the Daqing Oilfield as an example. The oilfield, which had its 60th anniversary not long ago, is a product of entrepreneurship and solidarity in the face of struggle. It took unrelenting effort to develop the oilfield, the kind of effort that China’s 1.4 billionese people used to turn what was a fragile and backward country into the home of the world’s second-largest economy that lifted 850 million people out of poverty.

The spirit of solidarity and struggle is deeply embedded in Chinese culture. As the Chinese proverbs say, “If two brothers work togertherthink alike, it’s more than gold they will be strong enough to bend can goldbuy,” and “Good honing gives a sharp edge to a sword; bitter cold adds keen fragrance to plum blossom.” Over a period of several thousand years, the Chinese nation came into being by pulling together in times of trouble, and uniting in solidarity in the face of foreign aggression.

This spirit stems from the deep love that the Chinese people have for their homeland. A journalist with Reuters recently asked: the younger generation in China has never experienced poverty. They are witnessing the country’s prosperity and sustained economic growth. How will they shape China? “Don’t underestimate us just because we haven’t experienced hardships (as our forefathers did),” replied a woman born in the 1990s. “Our generation is very much patriotic.” This patriotism can been seen in the passion with which Chinese people talk about the importance of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in the enthusiasm with which Chinese students overseas express love and support for their homeland.

The spirit of solidarity and struggle also supports the great confidence that the Chinese people have in their nation. A survey conducted by the British market research firm Ipsos MORI earlier this year showss that 22 percent of Britons are confident about their national direction. In France, the figure is 23 percent. In the United States, 42 percent. And in China? The survey found that 94 percent of the citizens believe the country is moving in the right direction.

China is closer to its goal of national rejuvenation than it has ever been before. But it remains in the primary stage of socialism; it will be in this stage for a long time, just as it will be remain a developing country for a longsome time to come. In the meantime, it faces uncertainties triggered by rising trade protectionism and unilateralism. To meet these challenges and continue the momentum of national development, the country needs to consolidate the unity of the Chinese people from all walks of life both at home and abroad. By doing so, China can continue to accomplish great feats that benefit the Chinese people and help to build a community with a shared future for humanity.