Sessions leading the chase for the Chinese Dream

MORE REFORMS, OPENING UP

Aerial photo taken on Oct. 21, 2018 shows the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the main venue of the first China International Import Expo (CIIE), in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

Leading the world's biggest developing country is no easy task. It is compounded by a sense of growing uncertainty in the global economy.

China faces profound changes in the external environment -- setbacks in economic globalization and challenges to multilateralism -- and the growing pains of its economic transformation.

With so much responsibility, Xi is always working hard. His schedule has noticeably grown tighter in recent months. Meeting after meeting, he gives orders on a wide spectrum of fields on the country's development.

"We are sailing through the midstream of a river where the waves are extremely rough," he said when assessing the current situation. "[We] have no choice but to power ahead."

China needs to maintain economic growth despite downward pressure while continuing its shift to high-quality development. At the same time, more needs to be done to boost people's welfare. The leadership's vision and stamina are important, and Xi has both in abundance.

Reform and opening-up is the key. Latest measures include relaxing restrictions on market access, creating an even more enabling business environment, strengthening intellectual property rights protection, and actively expanding imports.

Reform and opening-up is the most distinctive feature of China and the engine for China's economic miracle.

At the "two sessions," more reforms to power the country toward high-quality development were outlined.

A further 2-trillion-yuan tax cut for businesses is planned for 2019, with policies to boost the vitality of the 100-million-strong market entities, and achieve breakthroughs in core technologies for key fields, among other policy tools.

China is stimulating the consumption of the world's largest middle-income group and boosting the service sector, including elderly care and infant care.

A key issue discussed at the "two sessions" was how to boost the private sector, which supplies 80 percent of urban jobs. Last November, Xi addressed a symposium on private enterprises and reassured entrepreneurs of unwavering support, which has stabilized expectations and boosted business confidence.

Reforms need to be guaranteed by the rule of law, something the leadership has repeatedly stressed. China aims to have the rule of law basically in place for the country, the government, and society by 2035.

Protection of intellectual property rights has been strengthened. Last year, Chinese courts concluded 41.8 percent more such cases than in 2017. Among those who have been supported are copyright owners of British animation "Peppa Pig."

A draft foreign investment law, under its third reading at the national legislature, is hailed as a "landmark" legislation for China's opening-up. Once adopted, it will help create a stable, transparent and predictable market environment for fair competition, making China even more attractive to foreign investors.

The country has already climbed 32 spots on the World Bank's ranking of ease of business in its latest report. A recent survey by the British Chamber of Commerce in China showed that British businesses were "overwhelmingly optimistic" about the business prospects for their sector over the next two years. Two-thirds of the companies planned to expand investment in China.

"China handles the economy 'exceptionally well' despite obstacles," said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club.

Lin Yifu, a political advisor and former World Bank chief economist, said he would cast his "vote of confidence" for China's development.

"If handled properly, challenges can be turned into good opportunities for national rejuvenation," Lin said.

A BETTER WORLD

China ushered in the 2019 lunar new year with home-made sci-fi blockbuster, "The Wandering Earth," which has emerged as China's second highest grossing film just a few weeks after its debut.

The film portrays a group of Chinese who join a global collaboration to prevent Earth from crashing into Jupiter.

"The film is not about conflicts among individuals or different groups or races. It presents human beings as a whole or a community with a shared future for humanity," said Hugo Award winner Liu Cixin, who is the film's executive producer.

The concept of a community with a shared future for humanity was put forward by Xi and has won broad global recognition.

Chinese wisdom is being introduced to global governance, which maintains that the entire international community decides the rules -- It shouldn't work in a way that whoever has the bigger muscles has the [bigger] say.

In 2018, Xi took four overseas trips, visiting 13 countries. Xi took the occasions to call for upholding the existing international order, building partnerships and promoting an open world economy.

Last November, Xi opened the first China International Import Expo, an unprecedented event attended by 172 countries, regions and international organizations and over 3,600 companies. Intended deals worth 57.8 billion U.S. dollars were sealed.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), six years after its inception, has a growing appeal. Over 150 countries and international organizations have signed cooperation agreements with China. Trade in goods between China and BRI partners reached 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars last year.

China has played positive roles in World Trade Organization reforms, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

By trade, hard work and learning from others, China has helped to transform the global economy, said International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde, adding that China has played a significant role in boosting productivity, innovation and living standards around the globe.

Xi is leading China in its best time for development in modern times. The nation stands at a crucial juncture on the road to rejuvenation: the Chinese Dream.

Observers have said that China has taken a fast lane as it only took decades to achieve a development whirlwind that Western countries took centuries to complete.

Martin Jacques, a professor at Cambridge University, has said that China offers the world "a new possibility."

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. China aims to realize socialist modernization by 2035 and a great modern socialist country by the middle of this century.

Xi has stressed that China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development.

"We are all running at full speed to chase our dreams," Xi said.

By Xinhua writers Wang Jinye, Li Zhihui, Xu Lingui and Xu Yang

(Xinhua correspondents Zhang Hailei and Li Linhai contributed to the report.)