July 11th, 2025
We are here to listen— to a story that stirs the soul.
The story of China.
A nation that dared to dream—
the dream what many deemed impossible,
and had the courage to act.
A country that turned poverty into progress, and hardship into hope.
Over 800 million lives—lifted, empowered, transformed.
Not by chance.
But by sacrifice. By discipline.
By a system grounded in merit, and guided by purpose.
Honourable Ministers, Esteemed Advisers,
Distinguished Professors, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Namaste!
Nǐn hǎo!!
It is a profound honour to stand before you today — at the opening of this Ministerial Workshop on National Governance.
I come from the developing world—from lands rich in history, courage, and untapped potential.
With a full heart, I bring greetings from my homeland — where resilience and hope walk hand in hand.
Let me also express heartfelt gratitude to the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Thank you for your generous hospitality.
Thank you for your wisdom, and for opening this space for reflection.
Friends,
We are not here just to learn—we are here to feel.
Not merely to observe, but to open up, to share.
To pause, to reflect.
To listen— not with the mind alone, but with the heart wide open.
We are here to listen— to a story that stirs the soul.
The story of China.
A nation that dared to dream—
the dream what many deemed impossible,
and had the courage to act.
A country that turned poverty into progress, and hardship into hope.
Over 800 million lives—lifted, empowered, transformed.
Not by chance.
But by sacrifice. By discipline.
By a system grounded in merit, and guided by purpose.
No country in history has ended absolute poverty at such scale, and in such speed.
This is not a miracle.
It is the outcome of vision —
of leadership anchored in planning,
governance grounded in meritocracy,
guided by morality, and driven by care.
A testament to what is possible when governance puts people first.
President Xi Jinping, in his work Up and Out of Poverty, writes:
“To do good deeds for the people,
we must be in constant,
down-to-earth, for a better result.
The people are the most realistic.
They not only want to hear what you say,
they also want to see how you do it.”
This is a powerful truth!
A truth that binds us — from Asia to Africa, from the Pacific to Latin America.
Dear Friends,
China’s experience is not a prescription.
It is a compass.
A light to guide us— not to follow blindly, but to think deeply.
It is a path shaped by civilisation, harmony, and stability.
The strength of China’s rise lies in its model of governance—
a system rooted in merit, where talent grows from the grassroots.
A system of meritocracy —
which is not confined to state institutions alone;
it runs deep within the structure of the Communist Party of China.
Where officials are not elevated by slogans or show,
but by their service to the people— steady and sincere.
It is a system where every policy begins with the people —
and returns to them in purpose, in action, in outcome.
President Xi reminds us again:
“Leaders must always put the people first, serve them wholeheartedly, and work hard for their interests and happiness.”
These are not mere words.
This is the soul of Chinese governance.
You see it, in every corner of policy —
in the 14th Five-Year Plan,
in the Belt and Road Initiative,
in rural revitalisation,
and in the drive for meaningful, dignified work.
In May last year, President Xi outlined five key priorities —
a clear roadmap to advance high-quality and full employment in the new era:
This is not just governance. This is humanism. This is respect for life.
Professor Tian Yingkui, in China’s Path, reminds us: development is not only about growth.
It is about balance. About ecology.
About innovation and inclusion.
Development must embrace the whole human being.
This is modernisation — but not Westernisation.
This is modernisation with Chinese roots.
With Chinese rhythm. With Chinese soul.
The late Professor Li Yining — a towering reformist — taught us that reform must be gradual. It must be rooted in reality. The market and the state must not clash, but complement one another.
Reform, for him, was not a gamble.
It was a careful journey — with social justice at its heart.
And CPPCC Chairman Wang Huning, in his powerful work America Against America, shows us the contrast. China’s path is built on unity, stability, and cultural confidence. It is not fast change alone — it is harmonious and lasting transformation.
The Western model, for all its brilliance, has often lost its cohesion. Excessive individualism, at times, weakens social bonds. But we — those in the developing world— must find our own path.
We must learn from others, but follow our own hearts.
Modernisation must be ours.
Not borrowed. Not copied.
But born from within.
Friends,
In the coming days, we will explore China’s national journey.
From the Reform and Opening-up, to the strength of Party-building.
From infrastructure to innovation.
From domestic governance to international cooperation.
Every lesson leads us back to one truth:
With vision, with discipline, with people at the centre —
transformation is possible.
Peace is possible. Prosperity is possible.
Let us learn not just from China’s roads and bridges, but from its values.
From its belief that governance is not power, but duty.
That the dream of a poor child is as sacred as the dreams of the powerful.
Dear friends,
I come from Nepal. A country that shares more than borders with China.
We share mountains — Sagarmatha, as we call it.
Chhomolongma, as you say.
The world’s roof — vast, still, eternal.
A silent guardian of our friendship.
A symbol of our trust.
China follows a vision —
the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Whole-process people’s democracy—
The Chinese Model of Socialist Democracy.
Development rooted in national soul.
Nepal, too, walks its own path —
with a vision rooted in our soil.
Comprehensive Democracy —
championed by our Prime Minister, K P Sharma Oli —
a vision born from the heart of our people,
shaped by our own realities.
It grows from the roots of People’s Multiparty Democracy.
It carries the aspiration of a Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali.
Ours, too, is a form of socialism — not borrowed, but our own.
Forged through struggle.
Nourished by hope.
Formed by our experiences.
Fed by our dreams.
Two nations.
Two journeys.
But one spirit.
A spirit that rises from the people —
not imposed from outside, but born from within.
From memory. From hope.
From love for the generations to come.
Let me close with the words of President Xi:
“The people’s wish for a happy life is our mission.”
May this workshop be more than a meeting.
May it be a bridge — between hearts, between nations.
A spark of new thinking.
A celebration of shared dreams.
Let us walk together — not as imitators, but as partners.
Not in competition, but in compassion.
Inspired by our divergences.
United by our shared dream — for a just, peaceful, and beautiful world!
Thank you.
Dhanyabaad.
Xiexie.
Speech by Bishnu Rimal at the Ministerial Workshop on National Governance for Presidential Advisers of Developing Countries Organised by the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS); 17 June 2025, Beijing