China celebrates 75 years of economic growth and global influence

As government bigwigs, diplomats, academics and scholars raised a glass to toast the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China – now the world’s second-largest economy – Chinese ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng, on Thursday reminded the formally and colourfully-dressed audience in Pretoria that 70 years ago, China could not produce a single car.

According to Wu, watches, bicycles and sewing machines – nicknamed “the big three” – were the only luxury items seen by Chinese people “for quite a long time”.

“In 1949, China’s per capita national income was only $27 [about R450]. “Our economic output was less than 5% of the world’s total,” Wu said.

‘Huge changes for China’

But the past 75 years witnessed “huge changes for China”.

“The Communist Party of China united and led Chinese people of all ethnic groups to work diligently down the path of Chinese modernisation,” said Wu.

“Together, we achieved rapid economic development and longterm social stability.

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“I want to express my sincere gratitude to friends from all communities who have long cared about and supported China’s development and China-South Africa relations. I also wish to extend festive greetings to all fellow Chinese working, studying and living in South Africa.

“In 2023, China’s per capita national income reached $13 000 and our economic output reached 17% of the world’s total. In the first half of this year, China’s GDP grew by 5%, and our foreign trade grew by 6.1%.

“By 2023, China’s automobile production and sales both exceeded 30 million vehicles, with China’s “new big three” products, electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar cells combined, surpassing the milestone of one trillion yuan of total exports.”

At beginning, 80% population illiterate

At the beginning of the founding of the new China, 80% of the population were illiterate, said Wu.

“By 2023, the average years of education for China’s new labour force was over 14 years. Each year, over 10 million students graduate from college in China.”

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China, he said, adhered to “the path of peaceful development and regards building a community with a shared future for mankind, as the lofty goal of China’s diplomacy with Chinese characteristics for the new era”.

“We have always viewed solidarity and cooperation with African countries as an important cornerstone of our foreign policy.”