First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Ivan Melnikov delivered a keynote speech on Wednesday in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Photo: Xie Wenting/GT

 
Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Chinese people have walked a Chinese path to modernization and continue to create a development miracle, said many politicians and experts from all over the world at a forum on Wednesday in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province. 

They also noted that Chinese modernization will enrich the world's options for pursuing modernization, and that China's high-quality and sustainable development will inject new impetus into the common prosperity of the world.

Themed "Chinese Modernization and New Opportunities for the World," the "Understanding China·Greater Bay Area Dialogue" is being held in Guangzhou. The event includes activities like keynote speeches, parallel forums and seminars in which politicians, experts, entrepreneurs and young representatives from all over the world can have an in-depth exchange of views about Chinese modernization, Chinese democracy and international politics. 

"How has China made such outstanding achievements? What kind of domestic and foreign policies have brought China to the forefront of international development and modernization? Finding answers to these questions will help us understand China better," First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Ivan Melnikov told global participants in a keynote speech on Wednesday.

He then gave his own answer: China is constantly adapting to changes in reality when formulating domestic and foreign policies. The CPC and the Chinese people will do everything they can to realize the Chinese dream. The prerequisite for China's development achievements is a good governance system, a stable domestic situation and the CPC's loyalty to the people.

"When we understand how deeply the Chinese people believe in solving problems through joint efforts, and when we understand how keenly the world is watching the 20th CPC National Congress, we have every reason to believe that the attention paid to China's successful model reflects that people in many countries want to achieve more equitable development in their own countries and around the world," he said.

Many participants shared Melnikov's view that Chinese modernization has broken the myth that "modernization equals Westernization," and agreed that it expands the options for developing countries to achieve modernization.

Zheng Bijian, chairman of the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy (CIIDS), said that in the first decade since the 18th CPC National Congress, historic achievements have been made in the Party and the country. Reform and opening-up and socialist modernization have been deepened. Rapid economic development and long-term social stability have been realized. 

"One of the important points is that we stick to the absolute principle of development, the concept of people-centered development, and our unswerving adherence to high-quality development as the primary task of building China into a modern socialist country in all respects," he said.

Many participants also pointed out that the Chinese path to modernization can be used for reference and replicated by developing countries. 

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, former president of the Philippines and senior deputy speaker of the House, said on Wednesday that China's development achievements since the reform and opening-up period have been amazing. 

She summarized four factors in China's success since 1978: long-term vision; a strong will to act on this vision; attaching great importance to infrastructure; and putting emphasis on the most advanced science and technology. "These are all things that other countries can refer to and learn from," she said.

Many overseas participants believe that China's proposals and actions are in line with the times.

Lawrence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation, said that China is a global leader in clean energy, and can also be a leader in peace, climate, security and economic security. "We all need China to lead us on a firm path to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement," she said.

According to former Bulgarian president Rosen Plevneliev, adhering to the concept of building a global community with a shared future, a strong China will make the world stronger, a green China will make the world greener and a prosperous China will make the world more peaceful and prosperous.