LAHORE Few basic facts about China that are less known and people want to know. On the arrival of New Year 2023 of the People’s Republic of China, we have tried to know from the Consul General of Chinese Consulate Lahore, Mr Zhao Shiren.

Consul General said as the traditional Chinese spring festival is approaching, I would like, on behalf of the Chinese Consulate General in Lahore, to extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all the Chinese living and working in Punjab province and our Pakistani friends as well.

The year 2022 is an extraordinary year for both China and Pakistan. Pakistan experienced the catastrophic flood disaster and the government and people of Pakistan are making relentless efforts to cope with various challenges, especially the post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction and to revive the socio-economic development momentum.

China is embarking on a new journey to build it into a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. China and Pakistan are all-weather iron-clad brothers and partners. I sincerely hope the year 2023 will bring China and Pakistan closer and our bilateral relations enjoy stronger impetus and uplifted to a new height.

(1) Is there a difference between Chinese new Year and spring Festival?

There is no big difference between the Chinese New Year (CNY) and the Spring Festival, or they can be deemed the same.CNY or Spring Festival refers to, in a limited sense, the first day of Chinese lunar calendar for the welcoming of the deities of the Heavens and Earth on midnight. But observances traditionally take place from CNY’s Eve, the evening preceding the first day of the year to the Lantern Festival, held on the 15th day of the year. It is considered as the most important holiday for Chinese at home and abroad.

CNY’s eve is usually accompanied with a dinner feast for family gathering and they will sit together to watch spring festival gala which is a TV show with singing, dancing, sketch comedy and cross-talk, etc.

(2) what is the meaning of new and old China, do the Chinese understand something like this?

There is a famous song which goes “Without The Communist Party, There Would Be No New China”. The Communist Party of China (CPC), under the leadership of Chairman Mao, founded the New China on October 1, 1949, putting an end to an old China (generally regarded as the period from 1840 to 1949) of semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, and embarking on a path of independent and peaceful development. 45 years ago in 1978, the new China started its reform and opening up to the outside world, which paves the way to a booming socialist market economy. 11 years ago in 2012, the 18th National Congress of the CPC was held, heralding the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era, opening up a brighter prospect for China’s modernization drive.

(3) If there is one reason behind China’s development, what would it be?

If there is only one reason attributing to China’s development, it must be the strong leadership of Communist Party of China. The CPC was founded in 1921, when China was in utter disorder, impoverished and weak, and the Chinese people were living in dire straits.

The party was aimed at helping change China’s destiny, seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenating the Chinese nation. After several decades of hard struggle and sacrifice, the CPC led the Chinese people to establish the People’s Republic of China in 1949, enabling the Chinese nation to stand up as an independent nation and to take on a new look step by step ever since. About 98.99 million impoverished rural residents had been out of poverty by the end of 2020.

(4) how important is the role of one-party system in making China a great nation?

A country’s political party system is a major component of its political framework and makes a critical contribution to democracy. The system best suited to a country is determined by its history, traditions and realities. There are many types of political party system across the world, and there is no one size fits all. In this system, in addition to the CPC, there are eight other political parties: the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the China Democratic League, the China National Democratic Construction Association, the China Association for Promoting Democracy, the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, the China Zhi Gong Party, the Jiusan Society, and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Govt League. The system also includes prominent individuals without affiliation to any of the political parties.

(5) Can every Chinese citizen obtain membership of Communist Party?

As of 2022, the CPC has over 96 million members, making it the largest political party in size worldwide. The party constitution stipulates that any Chinese aged 18 or over can apply to join the Party, but being accepted has always been difficult. The CPC attaches great importance to the political loyalty and personal integrity, and has a rigorous internal selection process for applicants, who must pass a battery of tests, interviews, background check, votes, and probation over a 2-3 year period before becoming a full member.

(6) The Chinese nation copes with every challenge, it also coped with Corona, how do they do it?

It fully demonstrates that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and the guidance of Xi Jinping thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, with the hard work of hundreds of millions of Chinese people, China successfully coped with every single challenge, natural calamities and socio-economic exigencies, including the corona pandemic. The Chinese government has been implementing the people-centered philosophy of development and spare no efforts to fight against the Covid-19. China has made significant achievements in its fight against COVID-19 over the past three years, and has made important contributions to international cooperation against the pandemic. China has achieved lowest infection cases and lowest fatalities so far.

(7) Every year of China is associated with an animal, what is the reason for this?

China has been traditionally an agriculture-based country. Animal is not only the effective tool for Chinese agricultural development, it also becomes an important food supply source. The Chinese zodiac consists of twelve animals, and no one knows the exact date as of when the zodiac was essentially created, actually they were officially identified during the Han Dynasty, which was over 2000 years ago.

(8) 2023 is attributed to the rabbit, it is a beautiful and active animal, will its effects be seen?

Rabbit, a lovely and cute animal, small in size and agile in action, is, in Chinese culture, the symbol of dynamism, vitality and great ambition. So the year 2023, the year of the rabbit, marks a defining moment for us to further cement the partnership between our two nations and peoples, and our collaboration should also be expedited, become more dynamic, resilient, sustainable and achieve a new height through mutual concerted efforts. This year is also the year of Tourism and Exchanges of our two countries. The Gandhara Art Exhibition will be held at the Palace Museum in Beijing. The third “Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation” is expected to be held in China.

(9) How important role is the belt and road playing in promoting of Chinese language and Chinese culture?

On September 7, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed building a Silk Road Economic Belt by promoting policy coordination, inter-connectivity, unimpeded trade, currency convertibility and strengthened people-to-people ties during his state visit to Kazakhstan. Therefore, people-to-people exchanges are important for enhancing mutual understanding in which the cultural and language promotion is the key component. Taking the CPEC as an example, data available shows that CPEC has so far provided 192,000 jobs to Pakistan and trained a large number of technical and management staff. Pakistanis who have received Chinese language education or studied in China will have more opportunities to get jobs in the CPEC projects.

(10) How difficult is it for the overseas Chinese who do not reach their relatives to spend time on new Year?

Family reunion is the value and tradition of the Chinese people when the Spring Festival comes. No matter how far they are away from home, the Chinese people may overcome all the hurdles and difficulties for home coming and celebration. Given various circumstances, some Chinese may not go back to join their families for this occasion. They have to enjoy the festival with local friends and colleagues. They have to be working for the CPEC and non-CPEC projects and doing service to Pakistan’s socio-economic development. They are making personal sacrifices. The Consulate General in Lahore cares very much about the Chinese, who stay in Punjab province and has made efforts to extend greetings and best wishes and distributed the “heart-warming” packages, in the hope that it would alleviate their homesickness. We wish all the Chinese compatriots abroad stay safe and secure, be healthy and prosperous, and enjoy a peaceful and joyful Spring Festival home away from home.