Economic Achievements and Current Challenges
Since initiating the reforms and open policy, China has achieved tremendous success. Growth of about 9% per annum since the late 1970s has helped to lift several hundred million people out of absolute poverty, with the result that China alone accounted for over 75% of poverty reduction in the developing world over the last 20 years.
Between 1990 and 2000 the number of people living on a dollar per day fell by 170 million, while total population rose by over 125 million. Besides raising incomes, China's market-oriented reforms over the last two decades also dramatically improved the dynamism of both the rural and urban economies and resulted in substantial improvements in human development indicators. Official estimates of the adult illiterate rate fell by more than half, from 37% in 1978 to less than 5% in 2002, and, indicative of health indices, the infant mortality rate fell from 41 per 1,000 live births in 1978 to 30 in 2002.
Nevertheless, substantial challenges remain. More than 135 million Chinese, many in remote and resource-poor areas in the western and interior regions, still have consumption levels below a dollar per day, often without access to clean water, arable land, or adequate health and education services. /1
The rate of poverty reduction has fallen since the mid-1990s, as the country tackles remaining, and often more intractable, sources of poverty , including poverty concentrated in geographically disadvantaged regions and the emergence of increasing urban poverty. China also faces ongoing and emerging challenges related to its continued rapid growth – growing income inequality, economically lagging western and northeastern regions, unsustainable resource exploitation, and issues related to growing regional and global economic integration.
Many of these challenges require action on complex systemic issues - like the financial sector and the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) - in order to spur greater efficiency and innovation while maintaining macroeconomic balances . Addressing disparities in human development between regions and particular counties will also require better targeted and higher quality service delivery.
Further, while China's environmental program has had notable successes, for example, in reducing industrial air and water pollutant emissions and reversing deforestation, two decades of phenomenal growth have taken a serious toll on the rural natural resource base and the urban environment. China's rapidly growing and industrializing economy has increasing implications for the region and the globe, including China's export competitiveness, expanding trade integration , ability to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), and demand for imports of commodities and energy.
Dear distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
China is a country with five An ancient civilization with a long history of more than a thousand years. Over a long period of time, the Chinese people have created a splendid Chinese civilization with their diligence and wisdom, and have made significant contributions to the progress of human civilization. Beijing is an ancient civilized city with a long history of more than 3,000 years. Beijing was founded as the capital more than 800 years ago. Not far from the Great Hall of the People, tonight's venue, is the world-famous Forbidden City. The Forbidden City was built 600 years ago and is the largest and most complete ancient palace complex in the world.
From the miniatures of Beijing with its long history and the beautifully built Forbidden City, people can vividly feel the long-standing, extensive and profound heritage of Chinese civilization, and the magnificent journey of the Chinese nation’s continuous self-improvement and tenacious advancement.
After the mid-19th century, due to the barbaric aggression of foreign powers and the corruption and incompetence of feudal rule, the Chinese nation fell into a tragic situation of losing power, humiliating the country, and making the people miserable. Facing internal and external troubles, the Chinese people fought unremittingly and finally established New China under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
Since the founding of New China, especially since the implementation of the reform and opening up policy advocated by Mr. Deng Xiaoping in 1978, China has undergone unprecedented profound changes. In the 26 years from 1978 to 2004, China's GDP grew from US$147.3 billion to US$1,649.4 billion, an average annual growth rate of 9.4%; its total import and export volume increased from US$20.6 billion to US$1,154.8 billion, an average annual growth rate of more than 16% ; The national foreign exchange reserves have increased from US$167 million to US$609.9 billion; the rural poor population has decreased from 250 million to 26 million. China's comprehensive national strength has been significantly enhanced, and people's lives have continued to improve. The Chinese people have created new history on the basis of inheriting and carrying forward ancient civilization. Now, the 1.3 billion Chinese people are united and forging ahead on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.