On Aug 22, the Chinese Embassy in the UK held a symposium themed "The Communist Party of China and the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind", which was attended by representatives of various political parties and people from different sectors in the UK. At the symposium, Ambassador Zheng Zeguang, Minister Zhao Fei, Minister Wang Qi and other senior diplomats at the Embassy introduced the important thought of General Secretary Xi Jinping on Party building and the important contributions made by the CPC to building a community with a shared future for mankind. Participants from the British side made remarks respectively, sharing their understanding of the tenets and significance of the relevant philosophies of the CPC.

Ambassador Zheng pointed out that to understand China, one must understand the CPC. The key to China's great achievements to date lies fundamentally in the strong leadership of the CPC and its Party building. Since the 18th Party Congress, the Chinese communists with General Secretary Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have attached great importance to the innovation of Party building on practical, theoretical, institutional and other aspects, and formed the important thought of General Secretary Xi Jinping on Party building.

This important thought is a scientific summary of the theoretical development and practical experience of Party building in the new era. It represents a major theoretical innovation that answers the call for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It has given sensible answers to what kind of Marxist party exercising long-term governance we should develop in the new era, and how we should go about achieving it. This innovation has enabled the CPC to always remain at the forefront of the times, brimming with vigour and vitality.

Ambassador Zheng said that the CPC has led the Chinese people in a concerted effort to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, thus completing the First Centenary Goal, to embark on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects and advance towards the Second Centenary Goal, and to promote the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernisation.

In the first half of this year, in the face of a sluggish global economy and turbulence in the international situation, China's economy has overcome pressure and challenges and as a whole showed a positive trend of recovery. China's GDP increased by 5.5% year on year, and the country remains an important engine for global economic recovery and growth. The fundamentals underpinning China's sound economic growth in the long run will not change.

Ambassador Zheng noted that the CPC is dedicated to pursuing happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. It is also dedicated to human progress and world harmony. Ten years ago in March 2013, with great foresight, President Xi Jinping made the proposition of building a community with a shared future for mankind, pointing the direction for coping with global challenges and creating a better future for humanity.

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by President Xi. After 10 years, the BRI is playing a more prominent role as a broad platform for international cooperation and a practical path for building a community with a shared future for mankind. China has signed more than 200 Belt and Road cooperation documents with 152 countries and 32 international organisations, and cooperation under the BRI has galvanised nearly 1 trillion US dollars of investment globally and created more than 3,000 cooperation projects and 420,000 jobs for partner countries.

Faced with a world of change and turbulence, as well as accelerating transformation, in the past two years, President Xi put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilisation Initiative, providing China's solutions for promoting global development, advancing common security, and strengthening exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations. These initiatives have injected new impetus into the cause of peace and development and resonated well with the international community.

China stands ready to strengthen dialogue with foreign political parties and organisations including those from the UK, work with them to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make unremitting efforts for common prosperity and development, and human progress.

Participants from the British side said that the symposium deepened their understanding of the important thought of General Secretary Xi Jinping on Party building as well as the CPC. As the world's largest Marxist governing party, the CPC has led the Chinese people to make great achievements. The experience and theories of the CPC are worth learning from for political parties from other countries. The proposition of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the major initiatives put forward by the CPC have given a strong boost to world peace, stability, and development. The participants expressed their readiness to strengthen exchanges and dialogue with the CPC, and contribute to enhanced mutual understanding between the Chinese and British people and the steady development of China-UK relations.