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An open lecture was called in the morning of September 10 in Beijing on the achievements of China's modernization construction, reform and opening up since the 4th Plenum of the 13th CPC Central Committee held in June 1989. Zeng Peiyan, minister in charge of the State Development Planning Commission, gave a report on historical changes of the Chinese economy and social development.
Embarking on modernization construction, reform and opening up over the past 13 years great achievements have been made by the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with President Jiang Zemin at the core. In line with the basic line of the CPC adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics, holding high the banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the "three represents" theory by Comrade Jiang there has been ushered in the best time in the history of China's development.
During 13 years China has experienced a series of historical changes in economy and social life, Zeng said. First, a stable fast growth in economy has been achieved. The average yearly GDP stood at 9.3 percent, 3.2 percent higher than that of the 30 years before reform and opening up. Second, there has been achieved a marked improvement in economic strength. The GDP in 2001 reached 9593.3 billion yuan, nearly two times over 1990 and has come to take the world's 6th place from 10th and first place from 2nd among the developing countries in 1990. The country in 1989 merely had a foreign exchange reserve of US$5.55 billion and this has come to reach US$245.6 billion by the end of last July following Japan. Third, continuously improved economic performance has been obtained. The productivity of the whole society had registered a yearly 14.8 percent average growth from 1990 to 2001.
Strategic adjustment made of economic structure. The proportion of added value growth of primary, secondary and tertiary industries in GDP was adjusted from 1990's 27:42:31 to 2001's 15:51:34. The agricultural structure was continuously optimized and the whole industrial quality and international competence were strengthened.
Crowning success had been made in economic structural reform. A socialist market economy had been primarily set up and the market had been playing a basic role in resources distribution. A basic economic system had taken shape in which public ownership prevails and diverse types of ownership have developed side by side. By the end of 2001, state-owned assets totaled 10931.6 billion yuan, up 91.4 percent over 1995. Non-public economic sectors flourished and have become important forces of the economy. A macro-regulatory system has been basically established.
Opening up raised to a new level. In 2001 China's total trade volume increased 3.4 times over 1990, reaching US$509.8 billion, ranking 6th from 1990's 16th in global trade. Foreign capital absorbed has already surpassed those of developing countries for 9 successive years, representing a good start of the country's "go-out" strategy.
Substantial steps have also been taken for western China development drive. Great progress has been made in infrastructure construction and a batch of key projects have been launched such as the west-east electricity transmission, west-east gas piping and the Qinghai-Tibet highway. By July this year 43.27 million mu of land have been converted to forestry and 39.26 million mu of forest were fostered. Education on science and technology, special economy and strong industries also won commendable success.
People's lives have become better off. A yearly 62 percent per-capita income growth in real terms had accrued to rural households 1990-2001 and a per-capita disposable amount over one-fold income growth reported by people in cities. This needs not to say anchoring a great improvement of people's living quality and consumption at an unprecedented level both in town and country in China.
( September 17, 2002)
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