Why the resolution re-emphasizes "openness"

Zou Zhibo

the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China passed the "Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party's Centennial Struggle". This is a major resolution made by the Communist Party of China facing a century of changes and standing at a new historical starting point.

If the "Resolution on Certain Historical Issues" passed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in April 1945 at the Seventh Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China provided an important guarantee for the establishment of New China, the "Resolution on Certain Historical Issues of the Party Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China" passed in June 1981 laid the foundation for reform and opening up, then this party resolution provided a guarantee for China to become a world power.

1. what is "open"?

Today's China is no longer the China of the past, and the developed China also has greater responsibilities and obligations for the development of the world and the progress of mankind. From the perspective of China's relations with the world, an important idea and policy in the resolution is to adhere to and continue to expand opening up.

The original intention of "opening up" is to lift restrictions and maintain internal and external smooth flow. At the national and world levels, it becomes a concept, policy and behavior of international relations. Whether it is from the evolution of the world or from China's experience, opening up has great historical value and practical significance, especially in the context of China and the world entering a new era of changes. Adhering to opening up and promoting cooperation has become China's national rise and rush. The right choice and fundamental way out for national rejuvenation, and the world to get out of the predicament and move towards a bright future.

The significance of openness lies in the exchange of needed goods, learning from each other, mutual learning and win-win cooperation. Its practice originally originated from the exchange of trade. Adam Smith, a master of Western economic and trade theory, pointed out that exchange brings division of labor, which is the root of increasing labor productivity, and the expansion of human wealth depends on it. David Ricardo said that the exchange of products with comparative advantages can benefit from the division of labor to increase labor productivity. Both economists actually affirmed the important role of opening borders and promoting trade between countries in promoting national and world economic development.

2. historical lessons

china was a powerful country for most of its history, especially in the Han, Tang and Song Dynasties before the Ming Dynasty. It was in the forefront of the world in terms of economy, science and technology, military strength, social system completeness, culture and art level. Chinese civilization is also the only world civilization that has lasted for thousands of years. There are many supporting forces for Chinese civilization to stand in the world and radiate new vitality. Among them, openness and tolerance is one of the most important factors.

The "Silk Road", which began in the Han Dynasty and flourished in the Tang Dynasty, is a symbol of China's opening to the outside world. Even in the Song Dynasty and the early Ming Dynasty, China still maintained an open attitude. Regrettably, after Zheng He completed the feat of seven voyages to the West in the Ming Dynasty, China implemented a closed-door policy. Since then, China has gradually entered a period of decline. Finally, in the Qing Dynasty, China's weak body lay in the West. Under the strong ship and the gun. It is not difficult to see that the implementation of the closed-door policy has become a turning point in China's decline from power.

Fortunately, since the implementation of the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, China has returned to the track of connectivity and integration with the world, and has also stepped into the fast lane of national rise and national rejuvenation. This time the party's resolution includes openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation as an important and firm ideological concept and policy action. It is not only a summary of the experience of Chinese history and the party's history, but also the country's second century. The guarantee of the journey is also the need to promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind and the construction of a better world.

3. very different choices

today's world has entered a special historical period. We are not only facing major changes in the world structure and major adjustments in the international order, but also facing unprecedented challenges to the human living environment and social development. Under the general trend of the historical development of globalization, whether it is closed and exclusive, divided and confrontational, or open and inclusive, cooperation and win-win, the choice will determine the fate of the world.

It is very regrettable that, as the world's largest country, the United States has chosen the former, which has had adverse results for the world and for itself. From the perspective of the world, the United States, under the banner of ideology with a Cold War mentality, has drawn its allies and partners to strengthen and establish some exclusive and confrontational small groups or mechanisms, deliberately creating division and confrontation in the region and the world, which has had an extremely negative impact on the world. At present, the world's ineffective fight against the epidemic, weak economic recovery and ineffective action on climate change are the result of the wrong policy choices of the United States.

Even from the perspective of the United States itself, the United States is becoming more and more closed and isolated, pursuing the policy of "America first". In recent years, it has not only withdrawn from a series of political, security, economic, social and cultural international treaty organizations and mechanisms, but also adopted a series of measures to hinder and block the exchange of trade, personnel, technology and information.

According to the World Open Index report recently released by the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences during the Shanghai Expo, the opening index of the United States fell from No. 1 in 2008 to No. 22 in 2019, making it the economy with the largest decline in the opening index. Such policy actions have not brought about the desired results of the United States, but have led to its own internal problems and a decline in its strategic advantage. If the United States does not repent, it will continue on the road of decline.

On the contrary, China not only continues to join new multilateral mechanisms, deeply participates in and actively promotes international cooperation, but also opens its doors wider and wider, and integrates deeper and deeper with the world. According to the World Open Index report, China's open index rose from 62nd in 2008 to 40th in 2019, making it the economy with the fastest rise in the open index. China adheres to the foreign policy of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, and adheres to the policy of building a community with a shared future for mankind. While continuing to improve itself, it will also benefit the whole world.

History will prove that China is on the right side of history.