2020 marks the deadline of Chinese government’s decades-long promise to its people: to eradicate extreme poverty and to build a moderately prosperous society in all aspects. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered the government’s original plans, experts noted that China’s development is well on track and shall benefit the world.

Rana Mitter, director of the China Centre at the University of Cambridge, noted though COVID-19 is currently causing a problem for the Chinese economy, the nation has continued to grow its economy and move to greater domestic growth.

“It is important to keep pushing at reform, ensuring greater transparency and openness in markets and politics to allow society to grow evenly. In particular, the climate change issue has not gone away. The world expects that China will build on the foundations that it has built and go further and faster on climate change issues,” Mitter told People’s Daily Online.

Mitter also noted that global problems require global solutions, and the world should bring together scientific and political cooperation across boundaries and systems to fight a virus which threatens all humankind.

“Recently, former British Prime Minister Theresa May made a statement that we need a ‘collective international view’ about how to tackle the virus, and praised scientists for working together. This seems to me the right attitude,” said Mitter.

The scholar also expressed confidence in future China-UK cooperation, adding that “Britain and China should maintain a friendly, deep, frank and honest conversation with each other.”

“Now that Britain is looking for new markets and relationships abroad, there is a chance for a deeper conversation with China. Britain and China need to have serious discussions about areas where their economies can benefit each other. In particular, Britain will look for opportunities for its thriving creative and services sector in China,” he said.