Xi's speech charts course for Pudong's development, demonstrates commitment to reform, opening-up, experts say

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to people while attending a grand gathering that celebrates the 30th anniversary of the development and opening-up of Shanghai's Pudong in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 12, 2020.(Photo by Sheng Jiapeng/Xinhua)

"As Pudong celebrated its 30th anniversary of opening up, it has ushered in a new starting point, which is the development of a new Shanghai based on innovative technology," said Japanese economist and writer Kiyoshi Wanaka.

BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The achievements of Shanghai's Pudong over the past 30 years are a microcosm of China's reform and opening-up, and Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at a grand gathering to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the area's development and opening-up has charted the course for Pudong's development in the new era, experts have said.

After summarizing Pudong's valuable experience in development, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, put forward new requirements for it to become a pioneer of reform and opening-up at a higher level and a vanguard in fully building a modern socialist country.

Photo taken on Nov. 3, 2020 shows the view of the Lujiazui area of Pudong, east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

"As Pudong celebrated its 30th anniversary of opening up, it has ushered in a new starting point, which is the development of a new Shanghai based on innovative technology," said Japanese economist and writer Kiyoshi Wanaka.

The development of Pudong has been "an engine driving China's economic growth and promoted its upward development," Wanaka added.

Through 30 years of development, Pudong has developed from an agricultural area to a center of world-class enterprises, said Kosala Wickramanaya, president of the International Business Council in Sri Lanka.

People visit the China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference 2020 at Shanghai New International Expo Center in Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, July 31, 2020.(Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

Seymur Mammadov, director of Eurasia-Azerbaijan, an international expert club, said Xi's speech put forward new requirements for Pudong's development and demonstrates China's determination to achieve higher-quality development in a more open environment.

"Today we have seen Pudong become one of the fastest growing region of China, a modern business center with a comprehensive modernized infrastructure, in which the number of foreign companies involved in high-tech sectors is one of the largest in the country," said Mammadov.

Photo taken on Nov. 3, 2020 shows the interior view of the "AIsland" of Zhangjiang Science City in Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai.(Xinhua/Ding Ting)

Pudong's opening-up has made tremendous success due to its favorable geographic location, attractive investment environment and flexible local government policies, said the Azerbaijani expert, adding that Pudong's success set a good example for other developing countries.

(Xinhua correspondents Sun Xiaoling in London, Ye Shan in Tokyo, Li Ming in Tbilisi, Tang Lu in Sri Lanka also contributed to the story)