World\Americas

China's success and leadership will lead to global benefits, Canadian publisher says

By Li Xiaokun and Zhou Jin | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-10-25 17:08

China has achieved great progress under the leadership of General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping over the past several years, a leading publisher from Canada told China Daily on Tuesday.

"Canadians are very interested observers in how the Chinese government continues to successfully grow the economy and extend Chinese influence on trade, diplomacy and friendship abroad," said Dan Donovan, publisher and managing editor of Ottawa Life magazine.

"I think it would be safe to say that many in Canada are very impressed by the architects of this continued growth and their planning," he said.

"If China continues to develop its international trade, follows its Belt and Road Initiative and continues to partner with, and invest in, countries and businesses around the world, everyone will benefit."

Donovan said one thing he admires about the Chinese is "how they take a very long view of things when they are planning, which is a strength".

He added that Chinese leaders "look at how things will be in three and four and five decades from now rather than just four and five and ten years from now".

The Communist Party of China concluded its 19th National Congress in Beijing on Tuesday, while Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has been written into the Party Constitution.

Donovan said the announcement that China has embarked on a "new era" in development was the most significant and exciting news of the congress.

He said it is important to have a society that is guided by principles and usually the leadership helps define what the principles are, after consultation with the people.

General Secretary Xi's plan will have a profound effect on the Chinese political and economic system for decades, he said.

"I am quite interested to follow how Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era will unfold," he said.

China has also been making efforts to reform and develop the global governance system. Xi emphasized the community of a shared future for mankind in his keynote report delivered to the Party Congress on Oct 18.

"I think most Canadians have a very positive impression of Xi and China and their role in world affairs," he said.

China's international leadership is expected to help handle global affairs, he said.

He also expected China to exert its influence more often in the future, in particular, at the United Nations.

As for Xi's pledge in the report to develop a modern economy, Donovan noted that China is now an economic superpower and if they can continue to grow their economy and be innovative while protecting the environment, China will be unstoppable, he said.

Key elements to China’s success in development, he added, are Chinese values and a leadership that have used proper planning to embrace and allow many free market principles to grow the economy within the boundaries required in a modern socialist state.

The ability of the CPC to plan effective strategies that always look toward benefiting its people is "impressive and something that is proven and supported by the facts", he added.