ISLAMABAD: (DNA) – China’s march on the development path has revolutionised the concept of speedy and sustainable growth. The last four decades had witnessed transformation of China from the poverty-stricken and low development status to a major economic power of the world.

China is approaching the last stop of development and attaining the status of a modern and developed country. There is a lot of discussion on the development path of China, but less on its development model.

For a better understanding, there is a need to dive deep into the structure of development in all aspects – economy, governance and political structure.

China’s development is characterised by a set of principal contradictions starting right after the birth of new China in 1949. These contradictions are developed in accordance with the model of Karl Marx.

He believed that if contradictions are tackled, then it can help improve the economy and society otherwise it sets the path for revolution by sharpening the divide in the society.

Chairman Mao defined the first principal contradiction and brought the issue of contemporary China to the front. The major issue at that time was class difference. This contradiction was overcome at a huge cost of social rearrangements and restructuring.

With the shackles of the past broken, it allowed coming generations to focus on other indicators of the economy and society to boost growth. Deng Xiaoping introduced the second principal contradiction in 1981. He described the contradiction as “the ever-growing material and cultural needs of people versus backward social production”.

The second contradiction reshuffled the economy and it led towards opening of the economy and society over the last four decades.

The world was invited to invest in China and benefit from cheap labour and production facilities. Multinational companies and other investors were encouraged and given special treatment for establishing business and production facilities.

Special economic and investment zones were created to speed up the process of development. Most significant element of the strategy was to move in a step-wise manner both in terms of openness, and growth and development of the country.

China first selected a few areas for implementation of this development model and moved to other areas later and this process is still ongoing. Along the course of time, China transformed from a world factory to a world laboratory. Today, the country is the second largest economy of the world and is expanding its economic and trade linkages by introducing new means of engagement after the “Go Global Policy”.

To consolidate its achievements, President Xi gave the third contradiction. He defined it as “unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing need for a better life”.

According to him, China has developed without giving due importance to environment, which has created many development, environmental and social problems. Although China pulled 700 million people out of poverty, still millions of people are suffering at different levels.

Xi has introduced the concept of eco-civilisation for sustainable development. He has also defined the path to modernisation and development and aspires to turn China into a moderately developed country by 2021 and a fully developed country by 2049.