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BEIJING, Jan. 7 – As the 30th anniversary of the inception of reform and opening-up was celebrated, leaders of governments and political parties hailed China's decision to start this great drive as "one of the most significant events of the 20th Century". Speaking to interviewers from Xinhua News Agency, they said achievements over the last three decades testified the CPC's governance capacity.
Prominent Progress
Late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's decision in 1978 to reintegrate China into the global community and to begin the process of economic reform was one of the most significant events of the 20th century, said Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
He sent a message to China recently, congratulating the nation on its achievements during its 30-year-long reform and opening-up.
"The reform and opening up programme freed the entrepreneurial talents of the Chinese people and enabled them to build such a strong economy we see in China today," he said.
In 1978 China ranked number ten and number thirty-two in the world in the size of its economy and export volume and contributed just 1.8 percent of global growth. China now is the world's fourth-largest economy, second-largest exporter and its contribution to global growth has reached 6%, higher than any other country, Rudd said.
Much has been achieved in the social sector as well. The prime minister also noted that the Chinese people are enjoying a much better life today with per capita income grown from 190 U.S. dollars in 1978 to 3,180 dollars in 2008.
Enjoying good bilateral relations with other members of the global community, and being a key member of the network of international organizations, China plays a significant role in world affairs, the prime minister said. China's dynamic economy has delivered great opportunities not only to its own people but also to its international neighbors.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi described China's embarkation onto the course of reform and opening-up in 1978 as "very timely," "very correct" and "historic to the world."
With the largest population in the world, he said, "China has created world record in the pace of poverty reduction."
"The changes are so dramatic, so fast, and dazzling," Meles said, that every time he comes back after a few years he finds a totally strange country.
Syed Mushahid Hussain, Secretary-General of the third largest political party of Pakistan, the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), who has paid a dozen visits to China over the past thirty years witnessed up close how things have changed in this country.
He recalled that when he traveled from Guangzhou to Hong Kong by train in the early days, he found the two cities simply beyond comparison. But the differences are no longer there. Nowadays, cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou are no different from London, Paris, and New York. Telephone used to be a luxury for Chinese families, but China now is the largest mobile-phone market in the world. And China has gone as far as into the outer space.
Pansy Wong, New Zealand's newly appointed minister for ethnic affairs and for women's affairs, said China's pace of development in recent years is most impressive. Whichever city it might be, she said, you will see tremendous changes when you come back in just a couple of years.
The Chinese government is serious about infrastructure and their urban planning is fairly successful, usually taking account of the development in the next 50 years, she said, adding that the governments of different regions are also encouraged to promote advantageous industries based on local conditions to maintain their unique edge.
Fuwa Tetsuzo, former Chair of the Japanese Communist Party Central Committee, praised China's amazing success in the economic, social, diplomatic, and other areas, calling China an engine for the future global growth.
When he was in China for his first visit in 1998, he was wondering whether Chinese companies undergoing economic transition could compete with their counterparts in developed capitalist countries. But when he returned 4 years later, he was impressed by China's growing economic strength.
Developing socialism through market economy is a brand new path with no model to follow. It requires true wisdom and a great deal of guts to resolve on such policy changes, said Fuwa.
Strong Governance Capacity
China's feat over the past 30 years is attributed to the enhancing governance capacity of the ruling party, the CPC, said Meles Zenawi. China's stabilizing policy making and the smooth handover of state power are crucial to the success of the reform and opening-up, reflecting the CPC's improved statecraft.
He said, the government's swift response and effect mobilization after the Sichuan earthquake last year filled the world with admiration. The Beijing Olympic Games, attended by the largest number of countries and regions, was the best one ever. China's flawless organization was there for all to see.
All these have shown that CPC leading officials at all levels have become much more capable of implementing policies, and that the CPC is adequately competent to handle crisis and to organize national celebrations.
Truong Tan Sang, Politburo member and standing member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, said the outstanding achievements of reform and opening-up are indispensable from the CPC's brilliant leadership. Party-building is a serious task essential to developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, as the correct party leadership is pivotal to ensure its success.
Mr. Truong said the central leading body of the CPC and cadres on various levels have fully exercised their functions and demonstrated responsibilities in the course of national development, and have drawn experiences from their concrete practice, which are then summed up into new theories to guide further actions and to facilitate capacity building of the CPC in the new era.
The CPC has introduced a number of disciplinary rules for its members to follow and established special anti-corruption agencies to severely punish corrupt party officials, no matter what position they hold. These measures have helped to purify and strengthen the party, bring the party closer to the people and better represent the interests of the people. They also enhanced the CPC's leading role in building socialism with Chinese characteristics, said Truong.
Vladimir Voronin, President of Moldova and of the Moldovan Party of Communists, observed that China's comprehensive national strength has become much stronger since the reform and opening-up, with a higher international status. It did not come by easily for such a large and populous country to have come such a long way and it points to the CPC's ability of keeping abreast with the times and its remarkable capacity of governance.
Blade Nzimande, General Secretary of the South African Communist Party, visited China last July and was impressed by what he saw in Hunan and Qinghai. He said, it was heartening to see that the economic development and improvement of people's livelihood are taken as the number one task by the central government and local officials at all levels. He was also touched by their dedication to the fulfillment of that task.
In Hunan, he witnessed with his own eyes how the local government endeavored to alleviate poverty by putting generous resources in building roads and water conservancy projects in rural areas and in promoting new energy like biogas. In Qinghai, he learned about the government's efforts to propel development in ethnic autonomous regions and how such efforts have contributed to ethnic unity and social harmony.
Fuwa Tetsuzo said, it is an important aspect of governing capacity to ensure policy making and implementation. Competent decision makers know how to adapt policies to the change of circumstances.
The introduction of reform and opening-up was a policy shift that put this capacity to the test and it turned out to be a huge success. But as it was a road unknown to anyone, there bound to be many obstacles and difficulties. To handle these problems, the CPC and the Chinese government have worked out new strategies such as the scientific outlook on development, and building a harmonious society, in order to blaze a trail in line with the people's interests and the principle of social progress.
Mushahid said, the selfless donation to the deprived and the wounded after the Sichuan earthquake demonstrated that China's basic values remain intact. The traditional Confucianism is well adapted to modern society, thanks to the equal emphasis given to cultural and ideological progress and economic advancement by the CPC.
Australian minister for trade Simon Crean said China's progress across the board proves the unassailable governance capacity of the CPC, which is still improving.
"As we Australians have learned through our own development experience, a country must not rest on her laurels," said him, "It is right for China to review the thirty years it has traversed since 1978, and to take stock of its achievements and to continue to contribute to global economic development in the 21st century."
Mauricio Mulder, President of the APRA Party of Peru, said China's current political system is in conformity with the demand of economic and social development, and it is different from the representative democracy advocated by the West. The policies and measures adopted by the CPC are pragmatic and effective. It is worthwhile to study and learn from China's experience and the powerful governance of the CPC.
Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party, also applauded China's achievements from reform and opening-up. He attributed the progress to the hard work of the Chinese people on one hand and the persistent efforts of the Chinese government and the CPC on the other.
Gwede Mantashe, Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC), said the accomplishments China has made in the past three decades are results of the unfaltering implementation of the reform and opening-up policy by the Chinese government and the CPC. He said his predecessor Kgalema Motlanthe, who is now President of South Africa, and many other ANC senior officials have visited China and keenly appreciate what China has scored in the course of reform and opening-up. He said the ANC will enhance exchanges with the CPC to learn more from China.
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Source: Xinhua
(Translation)
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