LONDON, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese path to modernization, which figured prominently in a report to the recently concluded 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, reflects Chinese wisdom accumulated in its long history and the country's fresh take on contemporary global issues, a British expert on China has said.
"To me, it's not so much a report, it's an encyclopedia," said Keith Bennett, a long-term China specialist and vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club, in an interview with Xinhua.
"It's an encyclopedia of where China has come from, particularly over the last 10 years, where China is today, where China is going in the next period; and where China sits in the world; and what China can contribute to the world," Bennett said.
The landmark congress has charted the course for building a modern socialist China in all respects for the next five years and beyond.
Bennett spoke highly of the congress report's emphasis on the Chinese path to modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development.
"China's path to modernization reflects Chinese wisdom, Chinese civilization and history, and it also reflects the application and development of Marxism in China, so that we have more modern solutions to the contemporary problems that we're facing," he said.
As the world's longest continuous civilization, China possesses a treasure trove of wisdom, he said, citing its ancient philosophy that man is an integral part of nature.
That piece of wisdom shows in the emphasis of harmony between humanity and nature as seen in the report, he said.
"The Western-style modernization has been the despoilation and destruction of the natural environment. And this is what's brought the world to the brink of climate catastrophe," he said.
In today's world which is far from tranquil, China's age-old wisdom of acting in good faith and being friendly to others, and the country's insistence on peaceful development becomes all the more significant, he said.
"The modernization of a small number of Western countries was based on the exploitation, oppression and colonization of almost the entire world. China is not developing by exploiting any other country; China is developing itself and modernizing itself, and at the same time helping other countries to develop and modernize," he said.
As countries wrestle with the problems of economic inequality and mental health crises, it is advisable to take heed of China's pursuit of common prosperity as well as material and cultural-ethical advancement, he said.
"In all the developed capitalist countries we still have a phenomenon where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. China's drive towards common prosperity will hold valuable lessons not only for developing countries but for developed countries too," Bennett said.
"China's modernization combines people's material well-being and their emotional and spiritual welfare," he said. ■
