With 9.6 million square kilometers and 1.4 billion inhabitants, China is the third-largest country and the second most populous in the world. Its diverse geography, which ranges from deserts in the north area to rainforests in the south, along with a plural topography and an abundance of water resources, illustrates the governance challenges it has faced throughout its history.
Before 1949, the year of the Chinese Revolution, the country was marked by widespread poverty, intense social and economic disparities, and high unemployment rates. Although agriculture was the main economic activity at the time, it was in this sector and region that the worst living conditions were seen, with very low levels of industrialization, infrastructure and productivity.
The Communist Party of China (CPC), founded in 1921, sought a socialist model adapted to Chinese reality, inspired by Marxist theories, the Soviet experience and previous Chinese revolutionary movements. “Going to the mountains” symbolizes a cultural, military, political and philosophical aspect of this search, since they served as a refuge for many CPC leaders for periods of reassessing practices and strategy. From the mountains of Jiangxi province, the Great March with 86,000 men set off on a year-long journey.
Over the last 75 years, public policies, economic reforms, and investments in infrastructure, industrialization and urbanization have allowed China to go from an underdeveloped country marked by extreme rural poverty to the second-largest economy in the world, focused on the well-being of its population. This position has altered the structure forged after the Second World War and the consolidation of US dominance on the global stage.
The search for a Chinese model of socialist development required course adjustments and constant theoretical reworking. The practice of “going to the mountains” remains relevant as a symbol of the need to adapt and innovate, and is part of Chinese political culture and the methods of the Communist Party of China.
The concept of self-reform, which the CPC advocates, emphasizes problem-solving in long-term governance, theoretical innovation, independence and adaptation to Chinese reality. It is reached through collective study sessions, field research and self-criticism, complemented by an intense production of official publications and propaganda.
To learn more about some of China's experiences in the tech sector, the country’s culture, tourism and politics, a delegation of more than 30 representatives from political parties and the media from various countries was welcomed to the Asian giant in April: Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia, in a heterogeneous group of identities and ideologies. With an intense program, we got to know various state-owned and private companies, Artificial Intelligence, electric cars, services and important Chinese cultural sites. The visit to the capital Beijing and some cities in Henan and Jiangxi provinces gave us a better understanding of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Here are some thoughts on the visit, combining some of the theories China has been developing, its governance method, and how it was possible to see the application of this set of ideas and its results and challenges up close.
High-quality development
Capitalist countries adopt the concept and practice of development focused on capital accumulation. This view ignores the different perspectives that Marxism offers us: social, political, cultural, environmental and technological aspects. The realization of development centered on humanity’s quality of life and the preservation of the planet is not just an ideological stance, but also a practical necessity.
In his speech at the thematic seminar on the study and implementation of the guiding principles of the sixth plenum of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, held on January 11, 2022, Xi Jinping asked rhetorically: “Why is the CPC capable and why does socialism with Chinese characteristics work? Ultimately, because Marxism works. Why does Marxism work? Because the CPC adapts it to Chinese reality and the needs through time and uses Marxism to guide our cause."
Throughout the speech, the Chinese president stresses how Marxism offers a clear direction for the development and progress of human society, serving as a powerful theoretical tool for understanding the world and its laws, “seeking the truth and transforming the world." Xi does not see Marxism as a dogma, but as a dialectical method that must be continually adapted to Chinese reality in different historical times.
Xi Jinping: "Why is the CPC capable and why does socialism with Chinese characteristics work? Ultimately, because Marxism works" / Jade GAO / POOL / AFP
The Chinese concept of high-quality development comprises a new development philosophy, crossed by innovation, coordination, green development, openness and sharing. In short, it is the search for development with sustainable and inclusive economic growth under socialist rule not only to improve the quality of life of the Chinese people but also to focus on building viable models for humanity. It combines tradition and modernity, ancestry and technology, nature and the economy.
Several indicators published by BBVA Research and China Briefing attest to the success of the Chinese journey. In the first two months of 2024, the unemployment rate stood at 5.3%, that is, down compared to previous years. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was 5.2% compared to 3% two years ago. Per capita income increased by 6.1% from 2022 to 2023.
Chinese life expectancy today is 77 years, surpassing the US in 2022, which had a rate of 76 years. In 1949, it was 35 years for men and 40 years for women, while in the US it was 65 and 70 years, respectively. Currently, the literacy rate is around 96.8% for adults aged 15 and over, and the Human Development Index (HDI) stood at 0.769 (on a scale of 0 to 1) in 2023, reflecting improvements in health, education and income. Access to drinking water and sanitation also shows good figures, with more than 90% of the population accessing these essential services. The tools and measures that lead to these figures must be shared.
The East is red
China is globally recognized for its large domestic market and high capacity for producing goods. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in January and February this year Chinese industrial production grew by 7% compared to the same period last year, whose highlight is the high-tech manufacturing and consumer goods sectors.
Constant economic growth of this magnitude combined with the philosophy of high-quality development requires investment, strategic partnerships and control of capital, in a socialist market economy. According to Xi, this requires regulating the functioning of capital, using its advantages and disadvantages for the good. "We must not allow the tycoons of the financial sector to act arbitrarily. On the other hand, we must ensure the function of capital as a factor of production. This is a major political issue we must tackle,” he said in a speech at the 2021 Central Conference on Economic Work.
In a panel discussion with members of the economic circle in 2022, the Chinese president explained that “the basic socialist system encompasses public ownership which plays the dominant role and develops alongside other forms of ownership; multiple distribution models with ‘to each according to his work [one of the most important features of socialism]’ as the main approach; and the socialist market economy. This system favors the vitality of market entities, liberating and developing productive forces to promote efficiency and equity and to achieve common prosperity.”
Therefore, the state invests in and runs its state-owned companies, as well as its partnerships with private companies in a range of sectors with a strategic approach and in line with national policies and the government's five-year plans. In the automotive industry, for instance, there has been a shift towards the production of clean technologies, driven in part by China's intention to become a leader in this sector, but also by the urgency of moving away from fossil fuels. China is the world's largest producer and consumer of coal, which comes at a high environmental and social cost. The government has implemented various measures for energy transition, including closing coal plants and increasing the country’s renewable energy capacity (wind and solar). It aims to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Clean energy capacity in 2020 accounted for more than 40% of China’s energy generation and already points to significant changes in the air quality in many cities.
China adopts and applies concepts of the so-called high-quality development / STR / AFP
This policy has had a direct impact on the electric car sector, with the creation of the New Energy Vehicle Action Plan. The project consists of tax incentives and subsidies for the purchase of electric cars, in addition to partnerships with tech companies to integrate Artificial Intelligence tools into the vehicles.
One of China's main automobile corporations is the state-owned company Jiangling Motors Corporation Group (JMCG) and its subsidiary Jiangling Group Electric Vehicle (JMVE), which was founded in 2015 and is based in the city of Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province. JMCG specializes in electric cars and has invested in electric car battery technology and vehicle autonomy, as well as already having prototypes of autonomous cars due to be launched on the Chinese market in September this year. That’s the vision for the future.
An example of the integration between the preservation of recent history and technological development is the tractor factory China YTO Group Corporation, in the city of Luoyang, in Henan Province. In addition to the production line, the site houses an extensive collection on the development of the state-owned company, preserving the role of the Chinese Revolution in agricultural technology, which was fundamental to eradicating extreme poverty in rural areas.
The state-owned company was founded shortly after the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, with the launch of the first tractor, the Dongfanghong-54, which means “The East is Red” and refers to a Chinese folk song, a name also given to China's first satellite. YTO means “first tractor” in Mandarin.
Before that, there were few tractors in the country and all of them came from abroad, which made it impossible to refurbish or replace parts of the vehicles without resorting to foreign countries. The affordability of the tractor for the population was a milestone in the agriculture mechanization amid a scenario where manual labor and animal traction predominated.
With rapid growth and tech development, YTO has established a competitive presence on the international market, especially in Africa and Asia. For almost 75 years, the company has developed tractors with autonomous steering, focusing on sustainability and increasing agriculture productivity. In Brazil, YTO has been operating since last year and aims to get 20% of the national market in 10 years.
The kiln fire glows every night
Jiangxi Province, in southeast China, is known as the birthplace of the Communist Party of China first headquarters, and the starting point of the Great March of 1934. The region is predominantly mountainous and full of natural beauty.
In the city of Jingdezhen, known as the “Porcelain Capital”, the production of high-quality porcelain and ceramics continues to this day. The preservation of archaeological sites and investments in museums, galleries and ceramics schools, such as the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Institute, make the city the world's main tourist and educational center for porcelain. It is a good example of how to preserve cultural heritage and modernize the local economy.
During the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1912) dynasties, Jingdezhen was the main production center for imperial porcelain, which was exported to various parts of the world. There are historical reports that porcelain production in the city dates back more than 1,700 years. The different color techniques indicate a historical period in Chinese social, political and economic aspects. In one of the alleyways lined with ceramics workshops and potteries, an inscription on the floor reads: “The fire in the kiln glows every night”. On Saturday, young people flock to the Jingdezhen Ceramics Museum, whose collection includes pieces from all Chinese periods and dynasties.
The city is also known for the endless Taoxichuan Market and a state-run store where a student explains the main characteristics that should be preserved in porcelain pieces: “Thin as paper, white as jade, shiny as a mirror and sonorous as a bell."
In Henan Province, in the heart of China and considered one of the cradles of Chinese civilization with more than 4,000 years of history, is the Erlitou Museum of the Xia Capital, a huge archaeological museum.
17 emperors. However, the existence of pre-Xia historical or mythological figures is also well known. The first emperor, Yu the Great, is famous for having “defeated” the flooding of the Yellow River, China's second largest river, by creating an irrigation system.
Since 1959, there have been six decades of archaeological research and surveys carried out at the Erlitou site, which have revealed an advanced and well-planned society around the Yellow River basin. The structure of this ancient Chinese society can be seen in various artifacts made of stone, bronze and turquoise, all of them preserved for ritualistic and medicinal purposes, as well as for farming and cooking.
And just like Yu the Great, China continues to develop solutions to avoid the consequences of global warming and flooding. One of these is the creation of so-called sponge cities. According to a 2021 World Bank study, 67% of the Chinese population live in flood-prone areas. The Chinese government has determined that, by 2030, 80% of urban areas should be “sponge” cities, capable of absorbing and reusing 70% of water from torrential rains.
China's rich and ancient culture is also seen in dance, music, clothing, architecture and the martial arts. “Without a thriving socialist culture, there will be no socialist modernization,” Xi Jinping said in September 2020 at a symposium with representatives from the education, culture, health and sports sectors. The current challenge for Chinese governance is to combine traditional culture with socialist and Marxist principles to form a cohesive and unique national identity.
Elephant Television in Henan exemplifies this integration, with a logo and name that symbolize the elephant “that perseveres carrying the weight of its history”, as the channel's presentation mentions. The symbolic characters represent ancient Chinese history but use technology to convey the message and also reach a younger audience.
Two points
Between the knowledge acquired from ancient and ancestral China – with museums and archaeological sites, and the wonders of Artificial Intelligence, with autonomous cars and cutting-edge instruments for simultaneous translations – there are two points in Chinese history and philosophy that form more than a chronological line. They could be unrelated points, but they manage to coexist dialectically.
From ancient tea ceremonies to advanced technologies in flight simulators, from the cradle of Chinese civilization in archaeological sites and museums to rocket launches and simultaneous translators, China integrates ancestry and modernization for common prosperity.
Common sense about China, led by the Western media, builds stereotypes that try to undermine experiences that consolidate and grow contrary to the premises of the capitalist model, particularly when we see the East through the lens of the West. These narratives seek to diminish any other experience so that we never consider breaking these premises. They claim that they are failed experiments, run by rigid and soulless dictators, who curtail freedom of expression and prevent economic growth and the full development of systems.
The counter-narrative must expose the realities of these nations, highlighting experiments and viable alternatives for our own societies – each in its own way, as China teaches us. Brasil de Fato is committed to this contribution.
It was possible to get to know many experiments in agriculture, tourism and technology, finding coherences between the Chinese indicators, the narratives of the CPC leaders and the experiences in the cities and places visited.
Cultural sharing is always political sharing. In the search for a new era, within the 75 years of the Chinese communist experience - which built its own way not free of contradictions and new challenges - it is important to constantly go to the mountains. It’s fundamental to understand the world, not just China, under the wounds of 21st century capitalism and the new challenges of revolutionary socialist experiences, which must be shared and recognized.
*Nina Fideles is executive director of Brasil de Fato
Edited by: Lucas Estanislau
