What are the "fundamental interests" of the Chinese people?

BEIJING, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- An interview with Wang Xiaohui, editor-in-chief of China.org.cn, on the fundamental interests of all Chinese people:

Given that China has a population of 1.4 billion, each with their own opinions and needs, some have asked the questions: Who exactly does the CPC represent when it says it represents the fundamental interests of all Chinese people? What are the "fundamental interests"? To answer these questions, I'd like to start by talking with you about Chinese values.

As we mentioned in the last episode, China has a long history of agriculture, which has made people highly dependent on collectives. Furthermore, traditional Chinese society is based around the family. For thousands of years, Confucianism has valued families and groups, stressing that family members should support each other, fulfill their responsibilities, and work together for the prosperity of the whole family.

With this cultural background, Chinese people generally believe in the interdependence of people and society, and that the interests of individuals can only be fully realized in the process of realizing collective interests.

If you have had any contact with the Chinese people, you'll find that rather than seeking to get the better of each other, they tend to work for the common good.

This is consistent with their strong emphasis on "harmony in diversity." In other words, while accommodating differences, they prioritize coordination and compatibility to minimize mutual harm. Upholding this belief, individuals think and act as members of a larger group, instead of being self-centered.

In Chinese history, different tribes and ethnic groups converged in the central plains following the principle of "harmony in diversity." Rather than attempting to eliminate one another, they tried to build common ground and form an integrated community that reflected the intentions and interests of all.

Therefore, in Chinese political philosophy, the "people's will" generally refers to collective interests and needs. People in power should pay close attention to the people's will. Instead of representing any individual interest group or amplifying the voice of a certain group or class, they should take a holistic and balanced approach to addressing the people's needs.

Now let us return to the original question. In my opinion, the fundamental interests of all Chinese people that the CPC represents and safeguards are actually the "greatest common ground."

Before the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, the fundamental interests of the Chinese people were to achieve national independence and to end exploitation and oppression. After the PRC's founding, the greatest and most direct interests of the Chinese people lay in national prosperity. And now, it is the people's aspiration for a better life. They want to have better education, more stable jobs, higher incomes, greater social security, better medical and health care, improved housing conditions, enhanced social fairness and justice, and a more pleasant environment.

Undoubtedly, this is the shared pursuit of Chinese people across all strata of society. Low-income groups are concerned with employment, health care and housing. Meanwhile, well-off people not only require the basic life necessities and social security, but also seek asset appreciation, which is heavily reliant on a fair, just and stable society.

Therefore, the CPC is tasked with coordinating the interests of all parties, mobilizing the positive role of people from all strata of society in promoting social development, and restraining their narrow demands that deviate from the overall interests of the Chinese nation.

I'd like to share with you an ideal that ancient Chinese pursued called "datong," meaning "universal harmony." In an ideal world, "all under heaven belongs to the people… Men do not love their parents only, nor treat as children only their own children. Provision is secured for the aged till death, employment for the able-bodied, and the means of growing up for the young." So, Chinese people's best vision for the future is that the interests of individuals, society and the country are harmoniously unified and every person feels the care of society.

The goal of the CPC is to ensure that everyone in the country can pursue free and well-rounded development and live a better life.

China Mosaic
http://chinamosaic.china.com.cn/index.htm
What are the "fundamental interests" of the Chinese people?
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2023-03/03/content_85142084.htm

SOURCE China.org.cn