Botswana can benefit from China’s deepening reform to advance modernisation

Solly Rakgomo | Monday August 19, 2024 06:00

In order to implement the strategic plans made at the 20th national congress of the CPC, the 20th CPC central committee studied the issue of further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernisation at its third plenary session and on this basis, it adopted this resolution. The plenary session was presided by the Political Bureau of the CPC central committee where the general-secretary of the CPC central committee, President Xi Jinping, delivered important addresses with regard to the resolution.

When it comes to importance and necessity of this resolution on modernisation, it must be noted that reform and opening up have been crucial to the cause of the party and the people, enabling China to catch up with the times in great strides. Therefore, this third plenary session was a landmark event that ushered in a new period: One reform, opening up, and socialist modernisation. It was also of epoch-making significance as it marked the start of a new journey of comprehensively deepening reform in the new era with systematic and holistic plans, thus paving the way for a brand new stage in China’s reform and opening up endeavours.

The Deepening of China’s modernisation

is anchored on the following:l Building a high standard socialist market economy

l Advancing whole process people’s democracy

l Developing a sharing socialist culture in China

l Raising the people’s quality of life

l Building a beautiful China

l Advancing the peaceful China to a higher level

l Improving the party’s capacity for leadership and long-term governance.

From this, one can safely say that the overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernise China’s system and capacity for governance. According to a communiqué released after the plenary session, “By 2035, we will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernised our system and capacity for governance, and basically realised socialist modernisation.”

The communiqué further states that all of this will lay a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century and that reform tasks laid out in the resolution shall be completed by the time the People’s Republic of China celebrates its 80th founding anniversary in 2029.

There are many interpretations towards the Chinese style of modernisation, concerning the achievements made in this process. Particularly, China’s path toward modernisation is one of peace and development, win-win cooperation, and harmony between man and nature. Chinese style modernisation is modernisation of peaceful development. China’s modernisation aims to achieve common prosperity for all people and pushes the pattern of building a global community with a shared future for mankind, bringing opportunities for all countries to promote their own modernisation. Therefore, the successful experience of Chinese-style modernisation shows that each country (Botswana in this particular case) needs to find a development path that suits its national conditions. Chinese-style modernisation seeks “common prosperity for all the people.” In the 10 years of the new era, China has established the largest social security system, the largest medical and health system, and the largest education system in the world, and all people have benefited from the development achievements. Chinese-style modernisation emphasises the importance of material, cultural, and moral progress, which distinguishes it from Western modernisation, and achieving coordination between material, cultural, and moral progress leads the way to achieving comprehensive material abundance as well as comprehensive development for citizens not only within China but to many other countries especially in the Global South. This is because this modernisation is more than just a matter of eliminating extreme poverty, it promotes shared prosperity, thereby reducing both the huge wealth gap and inequality that have grown alongside Western modernisation. China’s call for comprehensive modernisation, both within the Chinese state and outside it, in order to achieve common prosperity and establish a society characterised by greater justice and greater equity, is a very important message not only to China and the Chinese people, but also to the world, to confirm that China shares its path towards modernisation, its development returns with the rest of the world. An example of this is (China’s Belt and Road Initiative). The World Bank projects that if all transportation infrastructure projects planned under the (Belt and Road) are implemented, the initiative will generate global revenues of US$1.6 trillion annually until 2030 and up to 90% of these revenues will go to developing and poor partner countries. This is in addition to other initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and Forum on China- Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

It is against this background that Botswana, strategises and finds ways in which the country can benefit from China’s modernisation within the framework of initiatives such as GDI, FOCAC and others. Botswana has enjoyed strong diplomatic relationship with China for many years. The two countries have cooperated in many areas that range from trade, health, cultural exchanges, scholarships, etc. It is thus important for strategic and economic planners within the Botswana government as well as other stakeholders to reposition Botswana in such a way that it cooperates with China so that at the end of the day, it enjoys some socio-economic benefits that come with China’s modernisation.

There are several areas, which need to be prioritised in order to realise the benefits that come with the modernisation within the framework of already existing forums such FOCAC and GDI. Firstly, there is a strong need for Botswana to ensure energy security. The country has long and hot summer days and as green energy is one of those important areas in the initiative, there is need for Botswana to create a very strong infrastructure to harvest the sunshine, which can be used to produce enough electricity that can also be exported to other countries. It is through strategic cooperation with China to build such an infrastructure to produce electricity and reduce reliance of energy supplies on other countries. China has made great strides in energy technology and with a strategic cooperation (technical and financial support) Botswana can have sufficient green energy supplies.

The other priority area is industrialisation, digital economy and connectivity. As Botswana is endowed with minerals, land and cattle, it is very important to diversify the economy through various beneficiation projects that can create employment for the citizens. Investment in the agricultural sector is also very low as most agriculture in Botswana is mainly for subsistence use. With lack of advanced technical expertise and finance, it will be very important for Botswana to find areas of cooperation with China, which is a very highly industrialised nation and has the financial muscle. Botswana needs to map ways in which she can build a very strong agricultural sector that uses the latest technology and clean energy that can go a long way in creating food security and employment creation.

When it comes to Internet connectivity, Botswana’s President, Dr Eric Masisi, has always stated the need for a robust Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). With China far much more advanced in this area, there is a strong need for collaboration for Botswana to realise this dream and it is through the GDI that it should be given a priority. Besides those areas that have been mentioned, it is also very important for Botswana to explore other areas of possible cooperation. What is very important is for Botswana to be more committed to working with China so that the country benefits in the socio-economic realm.