The Chinese Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun, says under the China Communist Party (CPC) currently led by Xi Jinping, China has been greatly developed.

Mr Jianchun stated this in Abuja on Thursday at an event to mark the 100th year of the party’s existence.

In Nigeria, during its heyday as the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) boasted that it would remain in power for 60 years (from 1999 to 2059). But its reign ended abruptly in 2015.

According to the Chinese envoy, the CPC has improved China and contributed immensely to the development of the world.

Giving an insight into the party’s history, he said the CPC, which started with only 57 members, had now grown to have more than 90 million members, making it the largest political party in the world.

He added that although formed in 1921, it took the party about 28 years of struggle to win power in 1949, from which time it began the core development of the nation.

“The CPC was established with just 57 members in 1921, at a point when China experienced enduring impoverishment, long-standing debility.

“After 28 years’ revolution and against local warlords, foreign invaders, and the Kuomi government, it led the Chinese people to realise an independence from imperialism and finally established the People’s Republic,” he explained.

The envoy added, “On infrastructure, China’s high-speed rail lines topped 37,900 kilometres at the end of 2020, making China a country that owns the longest tracks for bullet trains.

“On poverty alleviation, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared early this year that 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty.”

He noted that about 80 per cent of China’s population was illiterate in 1949, but the situation had improved.

“Fast forward to today, and the net enrolment rate of primary school children is 99.95 per cent while the junior high school gross enrollment rate is over 100 per cent.

“In 2018, there were more than 210,000 compulsory education schools in China, hosting nearly 150 million students.

“All of these achievements should be attributed to the tenacious struggles waged by the CPC and the Chinese people,” said the Chinese diplomat.

He claimed that the country had also built the world’s largest social security system, with nearly one billion people covered by the basic old-age pension system, with life expectancy now 77 years from 35 years in 1949.

(NAN)