British MP sees world changing through China's leadership

What do you think about the current influence of China in the world?

China's influence in the world today is greater than it has been in modern history. Clearly the two most powerful countries, economically and politically, in the world are the United States and the People's Republic of China.

How do you evaluate President Xi Jinping's performance as the leader of a great power?

President Xi Jinping is an intelligent, adept and patient leader and is leading China into becoming an even greater, larger and more responsible global power.

What do you think about the future of China?

I think the future of China, on balance, is positive.

Its leadership is capable and responsible, and wisely focuses on the long-term needs and prosperity of the Chinese people. The leadership takes a long view of what is necessary for the continued growth and prosperity.

What Chinese wisdom and Chinese experience do you think could be used to solve the urgent problems facing the world?

Leaders in general could benefit from Chinese experience in taking a more deliberate and balanced view of world issues, putting things into perspective, rather than often reacting and taking very short-term positions for the next news cycle.

What do you think are the biggest changes in China in the past five years? What is its biggest achievement?

The biggest changes that have taken place in the last five years continue to be the ability of China, often despite dire predictions, to continue to grow its economy in a balanced way.

Also under the leadership of President Xi Jinping in dealing with corruption that often not only impedes wise economic growth, but also is an issue that if not dealt with properly could undermine support for the government.

What three words would you use to describe China today?

Big, successful and necessary.

What do you think is the biggest challenge China is facing now? Can you give some advice on how to deal with this challenge?

I think the biggest challenge that China now faces is how to continue to grow the economy and provide prosperity to the Chinese people while at the same time dealing with important social issues, which in the long run may be just as important to the people as their material well-being.

China has been extremely successful in bringing prosperity and order, particularly after some earlier disastrous economic policies, and the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). I think it is even more important for China to deal with other issues that - once material needs have been met - are critical, starting with environmental issues, some real and perceived concerns about food security and the important need to provide national peace and stability with individual rights.

I think China can learn from the United States in terms of our successes and sometimes our failures. The US has shown that one of the strengths of a great power is that it can tolerate a certain level of dissent without undermining the government in any way.

On the other hand, China can learn negative lessons from the United States in the sense that often our fractured government leads to an inability to develop coherent and rational policies based upon what is in the real long-term interest of the country economically, politically and socially.

What's the most memorable experience or moment you've had in China, or related to China?

There are so many memorable experiences I have had since I first visited China in 1979, but the biggest is how China has so quickly developed economically.

It has often been said, China has literally raised more people out of poverty faster than any country in the history of the world.

I particularly remember going with my wife in the mid-1990s to Pudong (in Shanghai) and being told by a Chinese planner how they were going to build a new Manhattan and thinking how preposterous that was - and then being able to return periodically to Shanghai to literally see a new Manhattan rapidly developing in Pudong.

Finally, having greeted Deng Xiaoping at the Houston area Simonton Rodeo in 1979, where he was being presented with a 10-gallon Stetson cowboy hat.

Years later, returning to the new, beautifully, remodeled Chinese National Museum in Tian'anmen Square, I saw that the hat was encased as part of a large Deng Xiaoping exhibit, and I was able to point out that someone had pushed the crown of the hat down and flattened it, and it needed to be puffed out. And it was. My small contribution to US-Chinese relations.

cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com