Closer to China: What can other countries learn from China’s opening up?
Updated 14:42, 14-Jan-2019
CGTN's Closer to China with R.L. Kuhn
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‍‍‍In 1979, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) decided to establish special economic zones in the eastern coastal cities of Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and Xiamen, due to their excellent locations and talent pools. It marks the beginning of the primary stage of China's opening up. Later, other coastal and inland cities gradually opened up, a process that has brought China to where it is now.
Given its success, China has become a role model for other countries in pursuit of economic development, social prosperity and people's well–being. What, specifically, is China's experience? What can China offer to the rest of the world?
01:21
Fu Jun, Academic Dean of Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development at Peking University, shared his insights with Robert Lawrence Kuhn.
Fu asserted that China has learned lessons in its development and it can and should share with other countries.
According to him, it's very difficult to change the entire country. Countries that seek transformation should prioritize. For example, they need to think about which region or industrial sector's development should be prioritized.
An aerial photo of Xiamen's dock in southeast China's Fujian Province. Xiamen is among the first special economic zones in China. / VCG Photo

An aerial photo of Xiamen's dock in southeast China's Fujian Province. Xiamen is among the first special economic zones in China. / VCG Photo

Fu explained that China's setting up of special economic zones (SEZs) is a good example, noting, “Those special economic zones become a success when they become part of the global value chain, part of global production, part of global investment, and part of global trade.”
Now, many developing countries are learning by doing. Special economic zones have proved to be one of the best ways to realize national development.
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