Nigerian Sinologist on China's 'Four Comprehensives'

Nigerian Sinologist Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim poses for a photo during the third Visiting Program for Young Sinologists in Beijing on July 7, 2015. [Photo by Jiang Wanjuan/chinadaily.com.cn]

A strategic blueprint for China's future, the "Four Comprehensives" named by Chinese President Xi Jinping in December, is not only being closely followed by Chinese officials and media, but have also attracted the attention of the outside world.

It refers to "comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society, comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively advancing the rule of law, and comprehensively strictly governing the Communist Party of China."

In this on-going series - China's "Four Comprehensives" in the eyes of sinologists – we asked Nigerian Sinologist Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim to comment on the issue, during his trip to Beijing this month to attend the third Visiting Program for Young Sinologists.

Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim is a lecturer at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at University of Abuja in Nigeria. He attended Huazhong Normal University in China’s Wuhan from 2008 to 2011. He is currently doing a two-week-long study at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on international politics and the Communist Party of China and economic prosperity.

How familiar are you with the "Four Comprehensives" theory that President Xi Jinping highlighted in December? Do you know the overall framework for China's future administration behind the theory?

I have been following every bit of information about Xi's political theory of "the Four Comprehensives". The overall administrative framework for China is prosperity. As emphasized by President Xi, China needs a moderate prosperity. This concept of prosperity is a complex one, for it envisages legal prosperity, party prosperity, economic prosperity, political prosperity, social prosperity in its divergent nature. The rationale behind the political theory is all about making progress in all ramifications of Chinese nation.

Why do you think China is launching this strategy at this time?

China is launching this strategy because it is assuming leadership position in the world. Many countries look up to China for economic support, infrastructural support, political support, economic support, policy support and many other types of support. For China to be able to continue providing these supports, it needs more internal reforms, strengthening its rule of law and democratic principles, fight corruption and maintain party discipline. For China, however, setting example internally is what will make the world admire the country. This is also in tandem with the adage that: "Charity begins at home".

What's your overall impression of the "Four Comprehensives"? Which one is most impressive to you?

My overall impression is that, they are indispensable for the survival of a democracy. They are a necessity for establishing social justice, economic progress and political harmony. Secondly, maintaining party discipline is what seems to me the most impressive. This is largely because the Communist Party of China is the bedrock of Chinese nation; its agricultural base; revolutionary engine and pioneer of all developmental initiatives of china. Without the Communist pParty being disciplined, corruption will become order of the day, rule of law will be absent, poverty level will increase, markets will fall and think of all vices due to lack of party discipline.