Diplomats, international guests marvel at Shanghai’s success
FROM the North Bund to the world, Shanghai has stories to tell.
An international forum that focused on the latest achievements of Shanghai as a frontier of China’s reform and opening-up was held on Wednesday, with over 740 guests from political parties and organizations from about 100 countries.
The event, which was held both online and offline, was titled “Shanghai’s achievements in practicing Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Area: A Special Thematic Dialogue.”
It was organized by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the CPC Shanghai Committee.
From the vantage point of the North Bund, which overlooks both sides of the Huangpu River, Li Qiang, Secretary of CPC Shanghai, shared three stories of the city’s development.
The first was of Lujiazui, the financial zone of Shanghai that is at the forefront of the city’s futuristic skyline, which was farmlands 31 years ago.
Located on the east bank of the Huangpu River, it’s a symbol of the success story of Pudong, whose economic volume grew 220 times over the past three decades, Li said.
Across the river, a vast area along the waterways of the Huangpu River and the Suzhou Creek used to be industrial zones, but the “iron belts” were gradually turned to “leisure belts” for the residents in recent years.
For the first time, all of the 87 kilometers of banks along the river and the creek in the urban area are accessible to pedestrians.
“The government always prioritizes the living environment of the residents during urban development and leaves the best to the people,” Li said.
The third story is of the city’s expanding smart public services and safety network, an effort to modernize the management of the city of 25 million residents, “an open and complicated mega system” in the words of Li.
Residents and businesses in Shanghai can now access more public services on their palms, and the Internet of Things enables more efficient reactions to all kinds of emergencies, Li said.
“Shanghai will continue to open up its mind, deepen its reform, and innovate in seeking breakthroughs, and we welcome more people from both outside and inside China to chase their dreams here,” he said. “Together we will create more miracles.”
Guest speakers had high opinions of the progress of Shanghai and China over the past decades.
Ivica Dacic, President of the Socialist Party of Serbia and President of the National Assembly of Serbia, said the Communist Party of China was a symbol of the transformation of the largest country in the world, especially in the transformation of the country into a leading economic and technological power in the world.
“We in Serbia have often applied the good experience of China to our society, especially in terms of the economy,” he said.
Khayriniso Yusufi, Deputy Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan, said her party has been closely following China’s development and has a great interest in the country’s achievements over the years.
“China is a rising power in the world and is a leading factor in the development of the whole world,” she said. “China with its stable and sustainable development model and a pledge to its own path of development sets a brilliant example for other countries.”
Eric Dodo Bounguendza, General Secretary of the Gabonese Democratic Party, said both the Chinese people and the Communist Party of China were to be saluted for their devotion to the great transformation of the country over the years.
“In all countries, the ruling parties are supposed to lead their people to explore the ways and means of development that are compatible to their societies and aim for a prosperous future for all,” he said.
Pedro Miguel Gonzalez, Secretary General of the Democratic Revolutionary Party, Republic of Panama, said China’s achievements show that a lot can be achieved if a country rides the tides of the times and aims at serving the entire human race.
“Shanghai is an epitome of China’s reform and opening and modernization during which the welfare of the people has been greatly improved and the science and technology development has yielded great results,” he said.
Ambassadors of over 40 countries in China were present at the event.
The event was held on the occasion of the Communist Party of China’s centenary which will be celebrated on July 1. Shanghai was the place where the first national congress of the CPC was held.
Shanghai will continue to open up its mind, deepen its reform, and innovate in seeking breakthroughs, and we welcome more people from both outside and inside China to chase their dreams here, together we will create more miracles.
Li Qiang
Shanghai Party Secretary