On 31 October 2017, H.E. Ambassador Lin Songtian held a meeting with media and think tanks at the Chinese Embassy on the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Over 80 representatives from the media and think tanks attended the meeting.

H.E. Ambassador Lin shared his experience of attending the 19th CPC National Congress, and briefed the meeting participants on General Secretary Xi Jinping’s report to the 19th CPC National Congress and the main achievements and significance of the Congress.

H.E. Ambassador Lin remarked that, the 19th CPC National Congress is indeed a historic milestone for China as it embarks upon an important stage of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new era. General Secretary Xi’s report has systematically elaborated a set of new thoughts, new ideas and new strategies on upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, establishing for China a grand new blueprint and a comprehensive plan. General Secretary Xi’s report set forth new requirements for China's domestic and foreign policies, and demonstrated China’s commitment to upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. The report also responded to the new expectation of the Chinese people and the people of the world, winning positive and warm response from the international community.

H.E. Ambassador Lin elaborated on the two major political judgments of the Congress, namely the evolution of the principal contradiction in the Chinese society, and the socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. Ambassador Lin also elaborated on the new historical mission of CPC, the people-centered development concept of the CPC, the new blueprint for China’s socialist modernization drive, and the great significance and rich substance of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. On China’s foreign affairs, Ambassador Lin explained China’s goal of pursuing a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice and win-win cooperation, and a community with a shared future for mankind, featuring an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity. Ambassador Lin also availed the opportunity to share his perspectives on the new requirements set by the CPC in comprehensively strengthening Party discipline.

Ambassador Lin stressed that the CPC and the Chinese people firmly believe that, under the guidance of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and under the new generation of the CPC central leadership with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the new blueprint sketched out by the 19th CPC National Congress will surely be realized, and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation will be achieved.

Meeting participants from the media and think tanks warmly congratulated the success of the 19th CPC National Congress. They spoke highly of the glorious achievements of China's development, the new blueprint for China's development, and expressed hopes of South Africa and Africa to share China’s experience in economy development, poverty alleviation and fight against corruption.

(Embassy of China in South Africa, November 1, 2017)