China a model for peaceful development
Countries urged to find own paths to modernization rather than copy West
China’s way of modernizing itself by pursuing peaceful development serves as an example for other countries to find their own path in achieving sustainability and prosperity, said Woo Su-keun, president of the Seoul-based Korea-China Global Association.
In today’s world, the development process and pattern of a few Western countries has almost become the only standard for others to emulate. This has led to a situation where countries are forced to follow solutions that may not fit their specific needs, Woo told China Daily.
“In the face of such difficulties, China has taken the lead in proposing a Chinese-style modernization, which has solved a number of problems,” Woo said.
“This has not only contributed to China’s sustainable growth and prosperity but also has had a great impact on other countries by encouraging them to find solutions based on their own situations.
“This is a big achievement,” he added.
While taking part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu province at the second session of the 14th National People’s Congress on March 5, President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to plan for further comprehensive deepening of major reforms to inject stronger impetus into high-quality development and propel sustained momentum for Chinese modernization.
Woo said that countries differ from each other in various aspects, from their origins, geography to history and current status. Hence, it would be unwise to apply the development pattern of certain countries to all others in the world as if it were the “panacea”.
“With this in mind, it is entirely natural for China, the world’s second-most populous country, third-largest country by land area, and a country with 56 ethnic groups, to continuously pursue Chinese-style modernization in line with its own characteristics,” Woo said.
Noting that it is not an easy task for China to promote Chinese modernization since it has no precedent to follow, Woo said China has done well despite facing accusations from, and being the target of conspiracies of, certain quarters in the West. Over the past 40-plus years since reform and opening-up, the Chinese government has lifted over 800 million people out of poverty, and enlarged the middleincome group to over 400 million people. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the total population at the end of last year on the Chinese mainland was 1.40967 billion.
According to an analysis by the International Monetary Fund, every one percentage point of China’s GDP growth will boost the growth of other countries by 0.3 percentage points, and the country will remain the main contributor to global growth this year.
“The world is watching closely how China is striving with perseverance to solve one challenge after another,” Woo said.
Though many countries need specific solutions to their respective problems, Woo said they have to follow others even if the solution is not the most suitable option because they care too much about the opinions of some countries.
“In fact, I have also been emphasizing in South Korea that we need a ‘South Korean-style modernization’ strategy for our continued development and prosperity,” Woo said.
Noting that an increasing number of countries are learning from China, Woo said that more people in South Korea have also renewed their understanding of China after seeing its progress despite encountering many difficulties.
“Even from this point, Chinese modernization has had a positive effect on China, both at home and abroad,” Woo said.
For countries that are seeking suitable solutions to their domestic problems, China’s pursuit of its own style of modernization has become a catalyst for them to make brave decisions, he added.