By staff reporter ZHANG HUI
China's CPC National Congress, held every five years, is now no longer a purely domestic gathering but a major global event that magnetizes global attention. "The congress will introduce new strategies that decide not only the future of China but also affect the world as a whole," Muhammad Faruk Khan, presidium member of Bangladesh Awami League Central Working Committee and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation and Tourism said at a thematic briefing on green development organized in late September by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee shortly before the convening of the 19th CPC National Congress. "I'm sure that the entire world, including Bangladesh, anticipates the Congress with immense interest," Muhammad Faruk Khan further commented.
Over the past five years, the CPC Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at the core, has proposed a range of new ideas, thoughts, and strategies on governance that have evoked responses from throughout the world. "From a Western perspective, we hear many positive comments on the role of the Communist Party of China. I believe that the Party's successful leadership over the past five years has had highly positive impact on China's development," International Secretary at Labor Party of Malta Marc Vella Bonnici told China Today. And Kamal Ismail Saeed, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan, said in an interview with China Today, "We've been most impressed by the new ideas that the Party and its leaders have introduced, particularly the concept of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is a very clear, wide-ranging, highly sensitive concept that encompasses a green economy and a green policy, which benefits China and the world as a whole."
The 19th CPC National Congress is crucial to the country as it embarks on the decisive final stage of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and enters a vital period in the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The congress concerns the fundamental interests of Chinese people, and also exerts profound influence on the future of the entire world in this era of globalization. What, then, are the main focal points of the international community regarding the congress? What significance does China's experience in running the country hold for the world as a whole? To gain insight into these questions, China Today interviewed two ambassadors to China, as well as various visiting foreign officials, party leaders, and organizational heads during the thematic briefing on green development organized by the by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.
International Focal Points
"I'll keep a particularly close eye on the policies that the CPC and the Chinese government introduce at the Congress, especially those on green development. After the remarkable rise of its economy, China must now tackle the serious problem of environmental protection during this period of economic transformation. This is not only vital for China's current development, but will also affect the coming generations. That's why I'll pay special attention to the policies and measures that the National Congress introduces on furthering green development and environmental protection," Chairman of the Friendship Group Bulgaria-China under the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria Dimitar Boychev Petrov told China Today. Petrov added that he would pay particular attention to CPC policies on strengthening international cooperation. "For example, how to promote China-Bulgaria relations, including enhancing people-to-people exchanges," Petrov said.
Ambassador of Greece to China Leonidas C. Rokanas spoke about his specific expectations of the Congress in an interview with China Today. "We have observed via the 2016-2020 five-year plan period that the main direction and basic component of China's development is innovation, and sustainability, openness, inclusiveness, and coordination are also emphasized. So what is going to happen with all these concepts after the congress? Will these concepts continue to be pursued? And if so how? Of course, the expectation is that the Congress will reveal a new dynamic in this respect.
"The second thing I would like to say is that the Congress is important to the Party itself. It is clear that Party discipline must be coordinated with the Party's direction in order to guide the country in a comprehensive and meaningful way. Discipline is vital to combating corruption, and the CPC has a major role in that task. Corruption is both socially and economically destructive, and rule of law is an essential concept. We're waiting to see how all this plays out at the Congress," Rokanas said.
The ambassador also expressed his ecological concerns. "The ecology, including ecological protection and ecological transformation, is prominent in the constitution of the Party. This is both important and interesting, because it bears strong similarity to the ecological approaches of my country and of the European Union. Environmental protection and promotion of ecological awareness are embedded in our laws, so it will be very interesting to see how these concepts are addressed at the 19th CPC National Congress."
Rokanas added, "Of course, the economy is also a main interest. But the economy is not an end in itself, because it is inextricable from social justice and development. Our interest will also focus on topics like innovation, big state-owned companies, and growth – what is expected to happen with growth."
Marc Vella Bonnici, International Secretary at Labor Party of Malta, in an interview with China Today, expressed interest in the upcoming CPC economic policies. "We keenly await the Congress, and look forward to seeing how China intends to continue developing its economy. The country's GDP growth was 6.9 percent in the first quarter of 2017 – a figure that is easy for China to maintain. So we're interested to see what the government's new target will be."
Kamal Ismail Saeed, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan, said, "We're following closely the actions of the 19th CPC National Congress. We look forward to the Congress to see what decisions will be taken for the future of China and the world as a whole. Our hope is that it will bring positive decisions in the field of reform and of international relations. We, as a developing country, anticipate more positive international relations."
(To be continued)