Journalists from abroad admire five years of progress

China's achievements in technology, poverty relief, education and in the military sphere impressed foreign reporters who visited an exhibition at the Beijing Exhibition Hall on Monday.

The exhibition, Five Years of Sheer Endeavor, which features 10 themed zones, was viewed by a group of reporters from Africa, Latin America and other parts of Asia who are in the Chinese capital to report on the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

"It's an impressive exhibition that shows the progress of China during the past five years in technology, economy and politics," said Rafael Quintero, a reporter at El Tiempo media in Colombia.

China has become an important economy in the world, so what happens here affects the world, he said.

Latin America should stay close to China and understand the country, he said, adding that it's important for journalists to tell Colombia what China is really like.

Akash Ravi Samaroo, a reporter from CNC3 news, part of Guardian Media in Trinidad and Tobago, said he was impressed by government initiatives to make sure China's urbanization and development benefit all sectors of society.

Gokhun Gocmen, a reporter from Turkey's Aydinlik news organization, said the past five years have been remarkable for China.

"It's good to witness China's progress in the past five years, especially in education and the military," he said, adding that employment opportunities are growing day by day.

China is becoming more popular on the global stage and President Xi Jinping is well-known around the world, he said. Gocmen said the Belt and Road Initiative is important not just for China, but also the world.

He said he is looking forward to China's further development in the five years after the congress.

Zhou Jin contributed to this story.