China's achievements in development are remarkable: G. Devarajan, secretary of AIFB

China's achievements in development are remarkable, and the story of the country’s success is becoming the focus of attention of the entire world, said G. Devarajan, secretary of the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), a political party in India, recently in an interview with People's Daily.

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

The Communist Party of China (CPC), as the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, has brought about earth-shattering changes to China, according to him.

Devarajan has visited China at invitation for many times. While attending the Poverty Alleviation Conference of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) hosted by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan province, in July 2010, he made a field trip to Mayi (which means “ants” in Chinese) village, a village inhabited by ethnic minority groups, in Mile city, Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefecture of Yunnan province.

He saw a picture of "ants moving" on a wall in the office location of the villagers' committee of Mayi village. Local residents told him that it symbolized their unity and perseverance in pursuing a better life.

Devarajan learnt that under the leadership of the CPC branch in the village and the villagers' committee, the locals have shaken off poverty and become better-off by tapping into characteristic industries including black goat breeding, walnut tree planting, and ethnic eco-cultural tourism, which impressed him deeply.

India also has many areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups, Devarajan said, noting that he believes that China's experience in lifting ethnic minority groups out of poverty is a valuable asset for Asian countries and is worth learning from.

In August 2019, Devarajan participated in a seminar on rural development and poverty reduction for political parties of developing countries held by China.

At the seminar, he showed particular interest in how China responds to electronic waste, or e-waste, an issue that becomes increasingly worrying in India because of the rapid development of information technology and electronics manufacturing in recent years.

While having discussions with secretaries of the CPC committees in cities and districts of east China's Jiangsu province during the seminar, he said that innovation-driven development has led to economic and social progress, but advances in science and technology have posed the risk of pollution from e-waste, and asked how has the Chinese side coped with the risk.

CPC officials from Jiangsu told him that there are companies in Jiangsu specializing in the recycling and treatment of e-waste, which Devarajan found really inspiring.

The AIFB has taken part in many political affairs in India’s states of West Bengal and Kerala.

During his visits to China, Devarajan paid special attention to how the CPC has strengthened Party building in its local organizations, boosted economic growth, and improved people's lives.

He also hoped to have a deeper understanding of how China works to safeguard people's livelihood. According to him, he has gained better knowledge about China's efforts to continuously improve social security systems from trips to provinces in the country like Jiangsu.

China has firmly implemented reform and opening-up and led the Chinese people to a victory over poverty, which demonstrated the fact that the CPC knows the needs of the people and regards serving the people wholeheartedly as its mission, he pointed out, adding that China's achievements in development have further heightened Chinese people's confidence in the CPC and the government.

Each country should follow its own path according to its own conditions and requirements, and facts have proved that China's growth is the exact result of pursuing socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the CPC, Devarajan said.

According to Devarajan, updating ideas and theories is crucial to a party’s development.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is based on the requirements of the times, accords with the basic principles of Marxism, fits China's actual conditions, and makes sure that the guiding ideology of the CPC keeps pace with the times, he said.

The CPC has always maintained vitality as it has continuously enriched and developed Marxism through learning from practice and others, as Devarajan pointed out.

China has gained marvelous fruits in realizing the targets set in the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including eliminating poverty, making education accessible to more, and promoting gender equality, Devarajan said, adding that only a political party that puts the interests of the people above everything else can achieve such ambitious goals.

Devarajan believes that the CPC will lead the Chinese people to new achievements in the new era, and that China's experience in pursuing development will serve as reference for other developing countries.