INTEGRATION INTO THE WORLD
Foreign big names in politics, business and academia are no stranger to podiums at cadre schools of the CPC, but as the country grows interdependent with the outside world, their previously occasional lectures have become a compulsory course in the curriculum.
In June, David O. Beim, professor of the Columbia Business School, held a course on global financial crisis at the China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong, a national cadre school in Shanghai.
The course, "China's Economic Future under a Global Perspective," was the longest one in a three-week financial training program for 50 middle-level officials from China's financial regulators, financial institutions, and state-owned enterprises under the central government.
The course resonated with program members so well that questions were raised one after another and discussions went over class time. Some of the members even asked the professor to continue the course at night.
The reason for employing foreign expertise is straightforward, as acting vice president of the academy Feng Jun put it, "In a globalized world, a globalized outlook is essential for competent cadres of the CPC."
CPC cadres are also going abroad for studies. It has become common for cadres in coastal areas to go on foreign study trips and many of the recently promoted cadres in provinces in the Yangtze River and Zhujiang River deltas have at least a half year of foreign study experience.
In the country's western regions like Chongqing and Gansu, more officials are being sent abroad for advanced studies of subjects that are important to local development, such as public administration, environmental protection and tourism administration.
Throughout this year, about 300 Shanghai government officials and corporate executives will receive tailor-made training programs from the Harvard Business School, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and business and education schools of the Columbia University.
CPC is a "learning-minded" party that encourages its members to expand their knowledge in all fields, including science, economics and culture. By stressing its learning-minded ethos, the CPC exemplifies a contemporary ruling party, said Robert Lawrence Kuhn, an international investment banker and the author of How China's Leaders Think: The Inside Story of China's Past, Current and Future Leaders.
The year 2011 not only marks the 90th anniversary of the CPC's founding, but the 10th anniversary for China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Over the past decade since its accession to the WTO, China has fully honored its commitments by abolishing all domestic laws and regulations incompatible with WTO rules and giving foreign companies national treatment.
Just as Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said, at a forum to mark the 10th WTO entry anniversary in January, the WTO entry was a "courageous and tough choice," but was "the right choice" and a landmark event in China's reform and opening up.
China's foreign trade soared after the WTO entry, providing momentum for its economic development. Presently, China is the world's largest exporter and second largest importer.
Globalization is an irreversible trend. China felt the pinch of the global financial crisis as well in year 2008. To address its impact and maintain the steady and relatively fast growth of the economy, China quickly adjusted its macroeconomic policies, put in place a package plan to boost domestic demand and stimulate economic growth.
As a result, China's economy in 2009 and 2010 maintained steady and relatively fast growth and contributed to the economic recovery of the region and the world.
"China, under the leadership of the CPC, has provided its own political and economic model to the world. It is an important contribution to the international community," said Prof. Zheng Yongnian.
China is now facing challenges as well, such as transforming the economic development mode, bridging the yawning income gap, maintaining the social stability and harmony. That will be new contributions to the world, if the challenges are overcome, said Zheng.
From Mao Zedong proposed "to clean the room thoroughly before inviting guests" in 1949 to China's current solemn commitment of following the path of peaceful development, China's foreign policies always attract a great deal attention from the outside world.
"It can be expected that China will reiterate the themes of peace, development and cooperation in its foreign relations. Simultaneously, it will also prefer other countries to be more sensitive to handling issues that China considers to be its core interests," said Zheng.
"Development is the absolute principle." Deng Xiaoping said so during his famous inspection tour of south China in 1992. The motto has been working and will still work.
It is expected that under the leadership of CPC, China in future will seek more balanced development, or say scientific development in domestic issues, while continuing to seek peaceful development in international affairs.
(Xinhua correspondents Mou Xu, Zhang Chunxiao, Li Yunlu, Wang Jianhua, Miao Xiaojuan, Wang Yaguang, Duan Bo, Cao Guochang, Xu Xiaoqing, Ji Ming, Cai Min, Shen Yang contributed the story)
