While developing productive forces and immensely increasing
material wealth, China must gradually secure fairness and social
justice, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in an article released on
Monday.
He called them "two interrelated and mutually beneficial tasks"
that will run through various stages of socialism over a long
period.
In the article, which focuses on historical tasks in the primary
stage of socialism and China's foreign policy, Wen explained how
without sustained rapid growth of productive forces, it's
impossible to finally secure fairness and social justice that lies
within the essence of socialism. This essence is to "emancipate and
develop productive forces, eliminate exploitation and polarization,
and eventually realize common prosperity", Wen quoted the late
Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping as saying.
Wen believes that "China is and will remain to be in the primary
stage of socialism for a long time," and will continue to be a
developing country as it works towards maturity. He explained that
China's socialist market economic system, as well as the democratic
and legal system, are imperfect and there still exist social
injustice and corruption.
Wen said that China must encourage reform and innovation in its
drive to become more open and modernized. In order to do so, the
country must "boldly" absorb and borrow from all world
civilizations advanced management methods that reflect a modern
society.
He emphasized that China is determined to pursue peace, with the
country's economy developing mainly on its own strengths, including
its large population, vast land, rich resources, and huge market
potential. Years of hard work have paved a road toward sustainable
development, as the country moves toward becoming an energy-saving
and environment-friendly society, Wen added.
China will hold high the banner of peace, development, and
cooperation and observe an independent foreign policy of peace, Wen
said.
Peaceful development has never been about expediency, but is a
consistent and long-term foreign policy and strategy of China, he
explained. The essence of the peaceful development road is to
strive for a peaceful international environment for China's
development and meanwhile boost world peace through China's
development.
Wen feels that in order to win respect from the international
community, China must rely not only on improved economic,
scientific, and technological strengths and better living
conditions of the people, but also the national character, the
country's democracy and legal system, and the country's cultural
and ideological advances and moral strength.
While economic development has been China's central task for
years, the country never wavered in its dedication to enhancing its
political and cultural system and building a harmonious society to
establish the image of a responsible nation, Wen said. He stressed
that China is also a nation that respects cultural diversity, and
various cultures should learn from each other to enrich human
civilization.
Wen said that China will develop democracy in its own way. The
socialist system is not contradictive to democracy, and a highly
developed democracy and a complete legal system are inherent
requirements of the socialist system and an important benchmark of
a mature socialist system.
The country has the full capacity to establish a democratic
nation governed by laws within the framework of socialist system,
Wen said.
He pledged to develop democracy, improve the legal system, and
continue to push forward political system reform.
(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2007)