Consul General Wang Jialei in Santa Cruz accepts an exclusive interview with Bolivia’s “Responsibility” on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party
On June 29, 2021, the Consul General Wang Jialei in Santa Cruz accepted an exclusive interview with Bolivia’s largest newspaper, “Responsibility” on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. The interview video was also released on the new media platform of “Responsibility News”. The transcript of the interview is as follows:
1. Under what background was the Communist Party of China established?
Wang Jialei: When the Communist Party of China was founded, China was in a serious crisis and there was no way out. Historically, China has always been a world power, but after the first industrial revolution, it has been constantly surpassed by Western countries. After the Opium War in 1840, China gradually became a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society, and was subjected to endless aggression, plunder and humiliation by Western powers.
In order to save the nation from peril, countless people with lofty ideals have made various attempts. Constitutional monarchy, reformism, and peasant uprisings all ended in failure. Although the Revolution of 1911 led by Sun Yat-sen overthrew the Qing government in 1911, it failed to achieve national independence. The victory of the October Revolution in Russia in 1917 opened up new options for China. It was against this background that the Communist Party of China was established in Shanghai in 1921.
2. The Communist Party of China is one of the longest successive parties in power in the world. What is its secret?
Wang Jialei: The Chinese Communist Party has been in power for 72 consecutive years, second only to the former Communist Party of the Soviet Union, which has been in power for 74 consecutive years, but we will soon surpass the CPSU. The success of the Chinese Communist Party is mainly due to the following reasons:
First, the Communist Party of China has always been committed to combining the basic principles of Marxism with China’s reality, and continuing to promote the Sinicization of Marxism, rather than copying Marxism. Marxism is not a dogma, but a guide to action. In different historical periods, the Chinese Communist Party has developed and enriched Marxism in accordance with changes in the situation, the challenges and tasks it faces, and the fresh experience gained in practice. These theoretical achievements have become the most important spiritual wealth and philosophical achievements of the Chinese people since modern times.
Second, the Communist Party of China has always maintained its original mission of seeking happiness for the people and rejuvenation of the nation. As a result, the Communist Party of China has grown from a small party with just over 50 members to the largest party in the world with more than 95 million members. In the view of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people are as vital as water to fish, and they must always pay attention to the people’s demands and solve their difficulties in a timely manner. A Harvard University research report shows that the Chinese people’s satisfaction with the Chinese government is as high as 93.1%.
Third, the Communist Party of China properly handled the relationship between reform, development and stability. Stability is the prerequisite. Without stability, everything else will be out of the question; reform is the driving force; development is the goal. In view of this, in the past 40 years, China has implemented gradual reforms, “crossing the river by feeling the stones” instead of adopting “shock” therapy. Prior to the introduction of major reform measures, some pilot projects were carried out, and then they were promoted after success, avoiding major mistakes.
Fourth, the Communist Party of China has the courage to face problems directly, has the courage to revolutionize itself, and has a strong ability to repair itself. Strengthening the party’s self-building is the key to maintaining the advanced nature and purity of the Communist Party of China. Especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Communist Party of China has continued to strengthen the education of ideals and beliefs for its members, its strict work style, strict discipline, and zero tolerance for corruption have won widespread praise from the people.
3. What are the characteristics of socialism with Chinese characteristics?
Wang Jialei: Generally speaking, socialism with Chinese characteristics has the following characteristics.
Economically, it combines the market with socialism and implements a mixed ownership system. In addition to the state-owned economy, it also allows and protects the development of the private economy, the cooperative economy, and foreign investment.
China’s economy is an open economy. China joined the WTO in 2001 and is currently the largest trading partner of more than 130 countries. It has signed 15 free trade agreements with 23 countries.
Politically, China is the only country in the world that implements “one country, two systems”. The mainland implements socialism, and Hong Kong and Macau implement capitalism.
In theory, China holds high the banner of Marxism, and combines practical experience and the characteristics of the times to continuously enrich and develop Marxism. Socialism with Chinese characteristics emphasizes pragmatism, effectiveness, and efficiency. It is socialism that focuses on reality rather than fantasy.
Culturally, socialism with Chinese characteristics has inherited the fine traditions of Chinese culture, such as virtue, mutual assistance, peace, harmony and other values, while focusing on absorbing the achievements of other civilizations.
4. While maintaining sustained and rapid economic growth, what progress has China made in reforming its political system?
Wang Jialei: A lot of progress has been made in the reform of China’s political system. Leaders are replaced in an orderly manner in accordance with the law; the People’s Congress system is implemented, where deputies to the people’s congresses at the county and township levels are directly elected, and deputies to the people’s congresses at other levels are elected indirectly; the political consultation and multi-party cooperation system led by the Communist Party of China is implemented. Before decision-making, the opinions of democratic parties, religions, ethnic minorities, and other social sectors are extensively solicited. At the same time, the opinions and suggestions of ordinary people are solicited through social media such as Weibo and WeChat; in ethnic minority residential areas, the system of ethnic regional autonomy is implemented. Self-management of ethnic affairs in accordance with the law; in urban communities and rural areas, a system of self-management, self-education, self-service and self-supervision shall be implemented to fully ensure that the people are the masters of the country.
In China, democracy is not only reflected in the voting process, but also in the entire process of negotiation, decision-making, management, and supervision. All public powers must operate under the sun and must be supervised. For example, all important decisions and expenditures of our consulate must be approved by the vast majority of librarians. Although I am the head of the consulate, I cannot make my own decisions. If a colleague suspects that I am involved in corruption, he can report it to the disciplinary inspection agency. Regardless of whether it is a real-name report or an anonymous report, the discipline inspection agency must conduct an investigation and provide feedback on the results of the investigation. China has zero tolerance for corruption and fights “tigers” and “flies” together.
5. How does the Chinese Communist Party select and appoint cadres?
Wang Jialei: The Chinese Communist Party has five criteria for judging cadres, namely, firm conviction, serving the people, diligent and pragmatic, daring to assume responsibility, and integrity. Emphasize both ability and political integrity, with virtue first.
The five steps for the selection and appointment of cadres of the Communist Party of China: the party committee and the personnel department propose a motion and formulate a work plan; determine the candidates for promotion on the basis of democratic recommendation; comprehensively examine the ethics, ability, diligence, performance, and integrity of the promoted candidates; the party committee conducts Group discussion and voting, and publicize the results; after a year of probation, the formal appointment will be made.
The Communist Party of China pays attention to the selection and appointment of talents and the training of different positions. Prior to assuming the presidency of the country, Xi Jinping had served in 16 different positions for more than 40 years, from the secretary of the village branch to the vice president of the country.
6. What are the important changes in the 100 years since the founding of the Communist Party of China?
Wang Jialei: Over the past 100 years, the Chinese Communist Party has undergone many changes in its form: it has grown from a small party with more than 50 people to the largest party in the world with more than 95 million members; it has grown from an opposition party to a ruling party that has been in power for 72 consecutive years. . However, in the past 100 years, the original mission of the Communist Party of China to seek happiness for the Chinese people and for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has never changed. Over the past 100 years, the Communist Party of China has become more mature, its ability to govern the country and respond to the needs of the people has continued to increase, and the national governance system has been improving day by day.
7. How do the Chinese party and government view Bolivia-China relations?
Wang Jialei: China regards Bolivia as a strategic partner, but only with the broad approval of Bolivia’s ruling and opposition parties, the active participation of governments at all levels, the mutual benefit and win-win cooperation between the two countries, and the mutual understanding of the two nations, can the strategic partnership between China and Bolivia be stable and long-term. To this end, we are committed to extensive exchanges and cooperation with Bolivia’s central government, local governments, business circles and all sectors of society.
8. What do you think about the claim that the new crown pneumonia virus was leaked from a Chinese laboratory?
Wang Jialei: This was fabricated out of thin air by former US President Trump for political purposes. President Biden continued to spread the “laboratory leak theory” out of the obsession to suppress China. However, the international scientific community generally disagrees with this statement, including Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who has repeatedly publicly denied the possibility of the virus leaking from the laboratory. The World Health Organization has sent a team of experts to Wuhan for inspections twice. The inspection report concluded that the new crown pneumonia virus is extremely unlikely to come from the laboratory. Virus tracing is a scientific issue and should be left to scientists to study and determine. Politicizing the epidemic and labelling the virus will not help the international community to fight the epidemic and should be condemned.
9. How is China fighting the new crown pneumonia epidemic?
Wang Jialei: China has also been severely impacted by the epidemic, but China has responded well to the epidemic. As of June 28, China has reported a total of 91,771 confirmed cases and 4636 deaths. Since late March last year, China has basically contained the epidemic. Although there was a partial rebound afterwards, they were all under timely control, and production and life across the country have long since returned to normal.
China implements the strategy of “early detection, early reporting, early isolation and early treatment”. Once an infected case is found, its contacts will be traced and quarantined immediately, and all residents in the community or street where the infected person is located will be tested for nucleic acid, if necessary Carry out nucleic acid tests on residents of entire districts and counties and even entire cities.
The situation in each country is very different, but the maintenance of life and health is of utmost importance. At the same time, economic development must not be neglected. A balance must be found between the two.