Positive views on China ‘will keep rising’
Official says some foreign politicians’ moves to impugn nation ‘doomed to fail’
False accusations and lies concocted by some anti-China politicians have misguided public opinion about China in some Western countries and negatively affected the country’s international image, a senior official said on Wednesday.
Guo Weimin, spokesman for the fourth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, made the remark at a news conference in Beijing ahead of the top political advisory body’s annual session.
The CPPCC session opens on Thursday.
Guo said that in recent years, some Western politicians have tried to discredit and viciously attacked China on some issues, such as tracing the source of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as issues related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
What they did has negatively affected views of China among the public in the West, he added.
The CPPCC National Committee and many CPPCC members have been active in explaining China’s positions and hitting back at false accusations to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests, the spokesman said.
Guo cited opinion polls by some independent international agencies, saying they have shown that people from a great many countries and regions favor China. “With an increasing number of foreigners visiting China and our intensified international exchanges and cooperation, I believe more and more people will like China better, and favorable views by the international community toward China will keep rising,” he said.
Guo said China is a peace-loving country and has been working to make friends and build good relationships with other countries.
In responding to a question about some foreign politicians’ attempts to promote a boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Guo said such moves are futile and doomed to fail.
He said that actions by certain foreign politicians to politicize sports and disrupt the Games are against the spirit of the Olympic Charter.
“We believe such actions will not win the support of the international community,” he said, adding that some foreign leaders, including officials from the International Olympic Committee, have voiced their opposition to such actions, and preparations for the Games are going smoothly in spite of the pandemic.
The CPPCC session and the fourth session of the 13th National People’s Congress — the country’s top legislature — which is to open on Friday, are known collectively as the two sessions, the biggest political event in China.
Some 3,000 lawmakers will discuss major laws and regulations. They will also discuss and approve several key documents, including the Government Work Report. More than 2,000 political advisers will also participate in discussions on documents and put forward opinions and suggestions.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the start of the country’s 14th FiveYear Plan (2021-25) and its efforts to realize the long-range objectives for development that are being set for the year 2035.
Convened at this historical point on the country’s charted course to national rejuvenation, the annual gatherings of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, and National People’s Congress, which start on Thursday and Friday respectively this year, are of profound significance to the country and the world.
The two sessions, as they are commonly known, set the stage for the members of the country’s top political advisory body and top legislature to deliberate on the proposals for the formulation of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035.
They will draw on their collective wisdom to suggest final adjustments to the landmark document that will serve to guide the country’s development over the coming years, ensuring their pertinence to meet people’s needs, foresight in answering the calls of the times and practical operability in the context of China’s national conditions over the foreseeable future and the fastchanging external situation.
Quality economic development, innovation, countryside vitalization and environmental protection are set to be the keywords for their deliberations, during which the interests of different stakeholders will be balanced and then reflected in the to-do lists that will be set out in the document.
The draft amendments to the NPC Organization Law and the NPC Rules of Procedure will also be deliberated on by the NPC during its meeting this year. These will become important institutional guarantees for the country’s highest organ of State power to exercise its duties according to law.
The two laws have not been revised since they were enacted more than 30 years ago, and the amendments are expected to include the experience that has been gained, and the successful practices and achievements that have been made since 2012 when Xi Jinping became general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, so that the NPC can better serve the country’s development.
Given the pandemic is still raging in many parts of the world and the growing pessimism surrounding the global economy and the climate crisis, and that China is the world’s second-largest economy, major supporter of multilateralism and economic globalization, and largest contributor to global growth, as well as largest producer of essential medical supplies, the two sessions are certain to catch worldwide attention.
Through the meetings, China will once again reassure the world that the pandemic can be brought under control and it is dedicated to not only improving its own people’s livelihoods, but also helping to improve those of people around the world.