CPC success due to its drawing from practical experience, experts say

As the Communist Party of China celebrated its 95th birthday on Thursday, international observers marveled at its sustained vigor and its glorious achievements in the country's development. Since the Party was founded in 1921, it has kept up with the times, steering the country in the right direction, and it has thoroughly changed Chinese society.

Some observers said it is enjoyable to see that the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government have made such tremendous achievements.

Italian Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso recently told Xinhua about the pleasure he took in seeing the progress made.

"I was quite impressed by what I saw when I visited China as senate speaker last October. Things there were completely different from 15 years before, when I had visited the country as a tourist," he said.

Susumu Yabuki, honorary professor of China studies at Japan's Yokohama City University, said: "After its birth, the Party led China in driving out the imperialists and in the struggle to gain independence in 1949. It then devoted itself to developing the economy and has made China a major economic power."

Experts attribute the Party's sustained success to the special attention it gives to updating its theories and guidelines by drawing on practical experience.

Nguyen Vinh Quang, a former minister at the Vietnamese embassy to China, said the Party has developed a socialist theoretical system with Chinese characteristics, which has guided the country's reform and opening-up and economic development.

Vichian Piakhong, vice-president of the Thai Young Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said the Party has repeatedly surpassed its former successes by adopting new notions and strategies as powerful tools, uniting and leading Chinese of all ethnic groups.

Ronnie Lins, director of China Studies Center in Brazil, noted that the Party has adopted the "new normal" economic theory and reset the pace and model of China's development. By shifting the focus from a high growth rate to more balanced, down-to-earth development goals, it will help China to advance steadily toward realizing the Chinese Dream.

Experts say the Communist Party of China has special advantages as a ruling party.

First, it is down-to-earth and ready to correct its mistakes.

The Party has made mistakes, but it has realized and corrected them, said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club, a commercial group that has played a tremendous role in trade between China and Britain.

Second, the Party draws upon all useful opinions and keeps up with the times.

Perry spoke highly of its democratic centralism, noting that this has yielded great achievements, especially since 1978.

The Party listens to the people so its policies can reflect their minds, thus earning support from the public, Lins said.

Bambang Suryono, chief editor of Inhua Daily in Indonesia, said the Party is brave enough to embrace new things and evolve with the times.

The Party's successful guidance of China has not only helped change the country's destiny, but also advanced the common development of mankind, observers noted.

They laud China's leading role in pushing forward global trade, economic and investment cooperation, especially that among developing countries, which has benefited all countries.

Hans Hendrischke, a professor at the University of Sydney, said China is now widely participating in global value chains and is carrying out trade and investment cooperation with many countries. It has helped many countries overcome financial shortages and provided a huge market for its trade partners.

In recent years, the Party has put forward the concept of "the community of common destiny for all mankind" and the Belt and Road Initiative, with a view to seeking common development and benefiting the world.

If the initiative is carried out successfully, the countries involved will gain from the interconnection of infrastructure, bringing prosperity to the region.

The miracle of China's economic growth has become a model in development. With its rich experience, China can help other developing countries shake off poverty, Hendrischke said.

(China Daily 07/02/2016 page3)