The world is witnessing two dramatic scenarios: the world economy recovering sluggishly after the global financial crisis; and the West mired in an unprecedented institutional crisis, while China constantly creates social and economic miracles, showcasing its growth path based on socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Looking at the ruling parties around the world, very few have been at the helm for more than 30 consecutive years. Yet, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has governed for 68 years and continues to improve living conditions for its people, providing valuable experience for political parties worldwide on long-term governance.
As American China expert Robert Kuhn said, the key to the Chinese miracle is the extraordinary long-time leadership of the CPC.
A GUIDING IDEOLOGY
When the world hit by financial crisis in 2008, sales of "Das Kapital", the works of Karl Marx, almost tripled, according to German publishing house Karl-Dieztz-Verlag. "Rediscovering Marx" suddenly became in vogue, with the West reflecting on the crisis.
As U.S. economist Robert Heilbroner said, we should learn from Marxism in order to advance human society.
Marxism reveals the universal truths of human development. The CPC has always persisted in taking Marxism as its guiding ideology and made it the thought core to unite hundreds of millions of the Chinese people.
The CPC has combined Marxism with China's conditions on the ground to create a unique ideology shaped by Chinese characteristics.
BUILT FOR PUBLIC, WORK FOR PEOPLE
This April, Uruguayan Broad Front Party President Javier Miranda led a delegation to Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province to study China's targeted poverty relief work.
What he witnessed left him deeply impressed.
As president of a ruling party for three terms, Miranda knew only too well how difficult it was for a party to maintain long-term rule.
The most important responsibility of a ruling party is to ensure social justice and equity, and the CPC has established an example for other ruling parties, he said.
"Under CPC leadership, China has not only maintained rapid economic growth, but also let the development fruits benefit wide-ranging areas including the people's living conditions, health care and public education," he said, adding that this experience is something foreign ruling parties can learn from.
The key to the CPC's success is that the party always takes the people as the center of development. It insists on developing for the people, by the people, and sharing achievements with the people.
Aikyn Konurov, secretary of the Central Committee of the Kazakh Communist People's Party, said, "CPC officials know the Chinese people well. They always put the public interest first, which is the fundamental difference between the CPC and ruling parties in Western countries."
In the contemporary world where traditional ruling parties face the risk of shrinking public support, the CPC has developed with time by absorbing people from different classes, and trying to reach consensus among the majority of people.
