International Focus Magazine iF-Oct 2019 | Page 11

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially in the 40
years since reform and opening up, China has lifted more than 740 million
people out of poverty, and became the first developing country to achieve the
poverty reduction goals of the United Nations Millennium Development.
Today, China has the world’s largest middle-income group, that is, more than
400 million. China has built the world’s largest social security network, with a
basic pension insurance system covering more than 900 million people and a
basic health insurance system covering 1.3 billion. Moreover, the average life
expectancy in China has gone up from 35 to 77. The Chinese people now
have a strong sense of achievement and happiness, and are optimistic toward
an even better future.
China has been fostering a favorable environment for its own development
by defending world peace, which is in turn enhanced by a more developed
China. China will continue its efforts to safeguard world peace, contribute
to global development, and uphold international order. China is committed
to the peaceful settlement of international or regional hot issues through
dialogue and consultation. China is the biggest contributor of peacekeepers
among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and one
of the main funding contributors of peacekeeping operations. Since 1990,
China has dispatched over 39,000 troops to 24 UN peacekeeping operations,
and 13 Chinese servicemen laid down their lives while on duty.
China has taken an active part in global governance and firmly upheld multi-
lateralism and free trade. Amid deepening economic globalization and multi-
polarization, President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative
(BRI) and the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind,
which played a positive role in making a new contribution to a better life of
the participating countries and promoting peace and progress of mankind.
China has contributed over 30 percent of global growth in recent years and
become an anchor for the whole world economy. After its accession to the
WTO, China has faithfully and comprehensively fulfilled its obligations. Last
year, the overall tariff level of China has been reduced to 7.5%, much lower
than most developing countries and close to developed entities.
The above-mentioned records indicate that China has found a development
path that suits its own national conditions, namely, the path of socialism with
Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Communist Party of Chi-
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