The Chinese Road to Socialism

I try to hammer the point that though China has adopted some aspects of capitalism to build her economic might, that does not mean that Beijing has abandoned Marxism-Leninism.

From Lenin's New Economic Policy in the 1920s, to today's reforms in China, Vietnam and Russia, the communists have happily used capitalistic methods when economocally necessary or strategically advantageous.

Communists have always acknowledged capitalism's productive power and are willing to use it along the way to the final triumph of socialism.

From the Cuba News Agency via the Communist Party USA's Political Affairs

Since the foundation of the People’s Republic of China sixty years ago, on October 1st, 1949, the economy of this nation, under the direction Chinese Communist Party, has become a model of prosperity.

This Asian country has turned into a key driving force for the planet’s economic development. For example, from 1979 to 2007, it registered an annual economic growth of 9.8 percent, which is 6.8 percent higher than the world average; and its contribution to the global economy increased from 2.3 percent in 1978 to 14.5 percent in 2006, only behind the United States.

Thanks to its enormous development, China plays an important role in the main international markets and its influence increases by the day. For many experts, its economic success is almost a miracle in Asia and the world.

In this regard, during an exclusive interview with the Cuban News Agency, the Chinese Ambassador to Havana, Zhao Rongxian, said, “The Chinese people have chosen the path of Socialism because we believe that it is the most convenient and advisable one as it responds to the needs of the historical process of China. Only Socialism can save and promote its development. Our goal is to build a prosperous, civilized, democratic and harmonious country.”

During the past sixty years, what used to be a poor and backward nation has become a prosperous and powerful country, respected by the main western capitalist powers.

Ambassador Rongxian explained that after the foundation of the People’s Republic of China, during the 1949-1980 period, they went from a planned economy to a process of opening-up and reform that allowed them to establish a so-called market socialist economy.

“We believe that this system can revitalize and bring new dynamics to the economy and the social and economic development of the country,” he stressed.

After recalling the existence of active foreign forces against a prosperous and powerful China, the diplomat added that the strategic program designed in the early 1980s until the year 2050 aims at transforming the highly populated socialist State into a country of middle development.

Rongxian stated that during the first half of the year, they reached an economic growth of 7.1 percent and they are convinced that they will finish 2009 with an annual growth of 8 percent.

Of course, we remain loyal to the principles of Marxism-Leninism, the socialist system and the leadership of the Communist Party with the people at the center of our attention.