Today, the Communist Party of China and its leader Xi Jinping aim to create a «harmonious society» in China, where human interests and the satisfaction of reasonable needs serve as a sort of «alpha and omega» of the state policy of the PRC. As noted by Russian sinologist Mikhail Titarenko, «These ideas and political innovations consider the historical traditions of China, the teachings of ancient Chinese sages—from Confucius, Laozi, Mozi, and Han Feizi to Qin Shi Huang and Wang Anshi. They have absorbed the ideological developments of leaders from the most recent, including modern, history—Sun Yat-sen and Deng Xiaoping (‘the policy of reform and opening up,’ ideas of the ‘xiaokang’ society), Jiang Zemin (the ‘Three Represents’ concept) » [Titarenko M.L. China: Progress in the Development of the Political System. On the Sinicized Concept of Human Rights // Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Universalism and Diversity of Experiences. Moscow, 2009. p. 73], to which we can also add Xi Jinping’s «community of a common destiny for humanity. »
The creation of a «harmonious society» is possible as China advances toward new achievements in modernization. The achievements already attained are referred to by the CPC leadership as a «new form of civilization, » upon which other countries on the path of modernization can draw from the Celestial Empire.
It should be noted that the beginning of modernization in China dates to the defeat of the Qing Empire in the «Opium Wars» of 1840–1860. The signing of unequal treaties by the Manchu government marked the beginning of China’s transformation into a semi-colonial country and the establishment of its status as a dependent periphery of the global capitalist system. The loss of full state sovereignty led to the realization of the need to renew the regime and the beginning of reforms in borrowing military-technical achievements from European powers, known as the policy of «self-strengthening» (zìqiáng) [Nepomnin O.E. History of China: The Qing Era, 17th – Early 20th Century. Moscow: Eastern Literature, 2005. p. 420].
However, top-level reforms could not solve the global problems facing China, and after the crushing defeat in the war with Japan in 1894–1895, the policy of «self-strengthening» failed. However, it led to the emergence of a new intelligentsia in the country, which absorbed the achievements of Western socio-political thought with the aim of transplanting them to the local soil
One of those who, in the late 19th century, put forward a broad program for the renewal of China was Kang Youwei (1858-1927), who, like other Chinese reformers of that time, believed that without broader borrowings from Western economic achievements, it was impossible to pave the way for an independent and prosperous China. To achieve this, they intended to combine the traditional bureaucratic foundation of society with «renewed» Confucianism [Tikhvinsky S.L. China and World History. Moscow: Science, 1987. pp. 104-139]. Thus, Kang Youwei utilized the authority of Confucius, whom he presented as one of the first reformers of the Chinese tradition in his work «Research on Confucius’ Teachings on Reforming the State» («Kongzi gaizhi kao») [Tikhvinsky S.L. China and World History. Moscow: Science, 1987. p. 258].
Kang Youwei argued that according to Confucius, humanity experiences three periods in its development: «chaos and turmoil, » «establishment, » and «Great Peace, » each with its own law’s characteristic of these periods. If the «establishment» period is characterized by the laws of «Small Peace» (xiaokang), then in the period of «Great Peace, » the laws of the «Great Unity» era (Datun) come into force. In his book «Datun Shu, » Kang Youwei stated that previous commentators of Confucian classics made a grave error by believing that the period of «Great Unity» was a stage passed in Chinese history and was the first in the history of Chinese social thought to assert that Confucius spoke not of the past, but of the future [130]. Based on this understanding, Kang Youwei interpreted a text from the «Book of Rites» as follows: «When the Great Way is realized, the world will belong to all. The wisest will be elected, and the most talented will be promoted. Everyone will speak only the truth and will be peace-loving. Therefore, people will begin to treat not only their relatives as kin and not only their sons with paternal affection, so that all the elderly can live their lives in peace, adults can find application for their abilities, and the young receive education. Then everyone will have sustenance— the lonely, the widows, the orphans, the childless, the disabled. All men will have defined rights, and women will be independent. Goods will not be wasted on the ground, nor will they be stored by people in their barns only for personal needs. People’s efforts will not be squandered in vain, and they will work not only for themselves; thus, selfish intentions will disappear and never arise again. There will be no theft or robbery, and houses will not need to be locked. This will be the Great Unity <…> when all people become members of one society, when all people will be equal» [Tikhvinsky S.L. China and World History. Moscow: Science, 1987. pp. 259-261].
The fundamental principles of organizing the «Great Unity» society proposed by Kang Youwei are based on universal equality: gender, national, and racial equality, as well as equal opportunities for all regarding elections and access to all social goods, distribution according to labor contributions, which will significantly affect old age, and the promotion of managers based on moral virtues, intelligence, and general abilities. According to Kang Youwei, «In 200-300 years, the whole world will inevitably enter the era of Great Unity (Datun 大同 – E.B.)» [Tikhvinsky S.L. China and World History. Moscow: Science, 1987. p. 279; 130-131].
After the implementation of the «policy of reform and openness to the outside world» in the late 1970s in the PRC, the chief architect of China’s reforms, Deng Xiaoping, used the term «xiaokang,» which had long been part of the vocabulary of ordinary Chinese, to characterize the Chinese model of modernization. Xiaokang became a goal that China was to achieve by the end of the 20th century.
Upon coming to power, the current leader of the CPC, Xi Jinping, proposed an innovative planning program for China, designed not for the usual five years, but for entire decades. Key milestones for the country’s development were outlined: by 2021, the centenary of the Communist Party’s founding, a moderately prosperous society («xiaokang,» as Confucius called it) should be established in China, and by 2049, the centenary of the PRC, the country should enter a «prosperity era,» becoming a global superpower. As we can see, the ideological developments of the leaders of modern China are closely linked to historical traditions, grounded in the socio-philosophical thought of the great thinkers of the Celestial Empire.
The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held from November 16 to 22, 2022, in Beijing, reminded the world once again that China «will accelerate the formation of a new architecture of development, focusing efforts on promoting high-quality development,» which is «the primary task of the comprehensive construction of a modernized socialist state» [Xi Jinping: China will accelerate the formation of a new architecture of development, focusing on promoting high-quality development // http://russian.people.com.cn/n3/2022/1016/c31521-10159425.html, October 16, 2022], a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally developed, harmonious, and beautiful country…
General Secretary of the CPC Xi Jinping called on the people of China to build socialism with Chinese characteristics according to the opportunities and challenges of the new era. In his report at the 19th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping emphasized that: «China’s policy of reform and openness corresponded to the historical demands of the Chinese people for development, innovation, and a better life; it aligned with the trends of the times in the aspirations of peoples from all countries for development, cooperation, and peaceful living. Now, it is necessary to look to the future. First and foremost, it is about strengthening China’s power: economic, productive, and intellectual. Secondly, it is necessary to ensure ‘common prosperity.’ It is expected that by 2035, China will be able to at least minimize, if not eliminate, the gap in regional development, the inequality between urban and rural areas, and balance the living standards of the population. By 2050, China intends to eradicate inequality between the rich and the poor and achieve ‘common prosperity.’ Thirdly, the historical mission of the Communist Party of China is the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. By 2050, China should become a socialist cultural power. Chinese civilization will strengthen, and the influence of its soft power will grow. Finally, fourthly, China is called to play a leading role on the world stage and make a significant contribution to the prosperity of all humanity» [Full text of Xi Jinping’s report at the 19th National Congress of the CPC // https://russian.news.cn/2017-11/03/c_136726299.htm, November 3, 2017].
Openness to the outside world has determined the fate of modern China: the largest engine of economic growth, trade, and production, a source of investment, a leader in innovation, scientific development, achievements in scientific and technological progress, and a global innovator in the production of clean energy and the development of green technologies.
The openness to the outside world allowed the CPC and its leader Xi Jinping to propose to the global community a new idea of the «community of a shared future for mankind» (人类命运共同体, rénlèi mìngyùn gòngtóngtǐ). According to Chinese experts, this concept has its roots in traditional Chinese culture and represents a continuation of the wisdom of ancient Chinese thinkers.
For the first time, the concept in its modern sense—«Community of a Shared Future for Mankind»—which in meaning resembles the era of «Great Unity» (Datun) proposed by Kang Youwei, was articulated by General Secretary of the CPC Xi Jinping in November 2012 at the 18th National Congress of the CPC. In 2013, in a lecture at MGIMO, Chairman Xi Jinping introduced it at the international level for the first time. Subsequently, Xi Jinping has repeatedly raised this idea at various international platforms, including from the podium of the UN (2015). The community of a shared future represents an intertwining of the interests and development of all humanity, as the world community faces many serious challenges and threats: food security, resource shortages, climate change, environmental pollution, international crime, and more. No single country, or even several countries together, can solve these problems. This requires cooperation among all countries of the world. It is fitting to quote the words of American astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan (1934-1996), who said, «Earth is the only known world capable of supporting life. We have nowhere else to go—at least in the near future. Whether you like it or not, Earth is now our home» [Sagan C. Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space. Moscow: Alpina Non-Fiction, 2016].
It is noteworthy that at the 19th National Congress of the CPC in November 2017, the community of a shared future for mankind was included in the party’s constitution, and a year later, it was amended into the Constitution of the PRC.
According to Xi Jinping, «In the modern world, people live in a world made up of different cultures, races, skin colors, religions, and different social systems. People of all countries have formed a community of shared destinies, in which we are among you, and you are among us» [Xi Jinping. Exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations are an important driving force for the progress of human civilization, world peace, and development worldwide [speech by Chairman Xi Jinping at UNESCO Headquarters on March 27, 2014] // http://www.qstheory.cn/dukan/qs/2019-05/01/c_1124440781.htm]. This statement reflects two meanings embedded in the concept of «a community of a shared future for mankind. » Firstly, it emphasizes the diversity of the modern world, and secondly, the interdependence of all countries in the world. The concept implies a rejection of war and power politics, and new thinking in the field of security contributes to the advancement of global governance. Thus, in this concept, we can see the presence of cultural-civilizational codes of China, such as the Daoist principle of Yin-Yang and the Confucian principle of Datun—Great Unity, coherence, complete harmony, etc.
Speaking at a virtual session of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos in January 2022, Xi Jinping convinced the participants that all countries are «links in the global chain of cooperation and will gradually form a community of interests and a community of shared destiny.» To illustrate this, Xi Jinping compared countries to small boats, each of which cannot withstand the blows of the elements alone, and «only the giant ship of common destiny can withstand the stormy waves» [Xi Jinping. Moving confidently forward in the name of a beautiful future for the world after the pandemic [Full text of the speech by Chairman Xi Jinping at the virtual WEF-2022 meeting] // https://russian.news.cn/download/fulltext20220117.pdf].
The CPC and Xi Jinping tirelessly emphasize that China, as a major power, is ready to take responsibility for the future of humanity, demonstrating that the steps and actions of a major power correspond to its status (da go geng yingai yu da de yanzai), and together with other progressive forces, to build a rational world order, uphold peace on Earth, and actively participate in the reform of the global governance system [Xi Jinping: A major power must correspond to its status and bear responsibility as a major power // http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/2020-09/22/c_1126527636.htm].
Despite the fact that the concept of a community of shared destiny proclaims universal values and elementary truths, Western societies and their leaders (as well as their allies) are not ready to accept the idea proposed by the leader of a country they do not wish to see as a leading global power, nor to recognize the ongoing transformation of the global governance system and the movement of the world towards multipolarity. Nevertheless, the concept finds broad support in those countries where it has a real economic foundation. In one way or another, the concept has gained a global resonance today. Naturally, the path will be long and difficult. However, as is well known, «a drop wears away a stone,» or, as they say in China, «the journey of a thousand li begins with a single step» (千里之行，始于足下, qiān lǐ zhī xíng, shǐ yú zú xià). Therefore, for Kazakhstan and the Central Asian countries, friendship with this civilization country with a five-thousand-year history, which «turns the impossible into the possible,» and which «has no constant reflection on the self-destruction of civilization and fear of the death of civilization» [Maslov A.A. Traditional Political Culture of China, Identity, and New Forms of Soft Power Implementation // Notebooks on Conservatism: Almanac of the ISAPI Foundation: No. 5. Moscow: ISAPI Foundation, 2015. p. 121], instills authority and respect, and inspires confidence in achieving success in their own development [Baidarov E. The Community of Shared Destiny of Kazakhstan and China in the Context of Historical-Cultural Evolution and New Forms of Civilization // https://chinastudies.kz/kazakhstan-and-china-ru/16941/].
Erkin BAIDAROV, report at the seminar «The Communist Party of China — Striving for the Progress of Humanity and the Great Unity of the World» https://chinastudies.kz/events-ru/18278/
