🎂 Happy Birthday, Deng Xiaoping! China is buzzing with celebrations as it marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Deng Xiaoping, the leader who set China on its remarkable path of reform and opening up. From the issuance of commemorative stamps to nationwide seminars on Deng Xiaoping Theory, the nation is honoring his pivotal contributions to modern China.
Born in 1904, Deng Xiaoping was instrumental in initiating China's journey toward modernization. His vision and policies transformed China's economy, making it the powerhouse it is today. As the country continues its process of Chinese modernization, Deng's ideas remain a guiding light. 💡
Back in September 1978, Deng embarked on an eight-day inspection tour of northern China, visiting Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Hebei, and Tianjin. During this tour, he delivered what are now known as the \"Northern Talks,\" emphasizing the importance of freeing the mind, focusing on economic construction, embracing advanced international technologies, and managing the economy with modern methods. He believed that developing productive forces was key to improving people's living conditions.
These talks laid the groundwork for significant changes in China. Just a few months later, in December 1978, the third plenary session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) took place, marking a historic turning point. The meeting officially shifted the Party's and the country's focus to economic development and adopted the national policy of reform and opening up.
🚀 Fast forward over 40 years, and the results are astounding! China's GDP skyrocketed from 367.9 billion yuan (about $51.6 billion) in 1978 to an incredible 126.06 trillion yuan in 2023 (about $17.7 trillion). The nation's GDP surpassed Japan's in 2010, making China the world's second-largest economy.
China's rapid growth hasn't just boosted its own economy; it's also been a significant driver of global growth. 🌏 From 1979 onwards, with an average annual global economic growth of about 2.91%, China's expansion played a major role. The country's urbanization rate also soared from 18% in 1978 to 63% in 2022, transforming the lives of millions.
One of the most profound impacts has been the dramatic reduction in poverty. According to the World Bank's international poverty line of $1.90 per person per day, China has lifted nearly 800 million people out of poverty since 1978! That's over 70% of the global reduction in poverty during that period. 🙌
On July 1, 2021, during the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the CPC's founding, China announced it had successfully eradicated extreme poverty by 2020 and had built a moderately prosperous society in all respects—an amazing milestone on the path to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Deng Xiaoping understood the importance of opening up to the world. 🌐 In October 1978, he visited Japan and key Japanese enterprises. In early 1979, he made a historic visit to the United States, just 28 days after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations. These visits symbolized China's determination to integrate into the global economic system.
Fast forward to today, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee concluded last month, adopting over 300 measures to deepen China's economic system reforms. These reforms aim to enhance innovation capabilities, narrow the urban-rural divide, and lay a solid foundation for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
As China continues its journey, the legacy of Deng Xiaoping lives on, inspiring new generations to dream big and embrace the future. 🎇
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China commemorates 120th anniversary of Deng Xiaoping's birth
cgtn.com
