China's steady economic growth is vital to global development and the path of China's development will help shape the future of the world, foreign experts said.
The official data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics showed that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew five percent year on year to reach 134.9084 trillion yuan in 2024, meeting the annual target of around five percent.
"The speed of growth in China is remarkable, innovative spirit, connecting countryside to the city side, high-levelly opening up, new quality productive forces. You've seen China focusing in technology, and where will the world be focusing in the next five to ten years? Technology will solve many problems," said Jack Perry, chairman of 48 Group Club.
"China reached an economic growth of 5 percent, which is impressive, especially compared with the European countries, because many of them hope to see the growth like this. For China, we are a reliable partner. We not only provide the world with products, but also advanced technologies and we are also expanding our market in China. The Chinese government has been encouraging bilateral trade, which is very important to Europe. I think, the path of China's development will help shape the future. We will make changes to the global economy, involve the Global South, and promote the prosperity of the humanity," said Bernd Einmeier, chairman of the German-Chinese Society for Economy, Education and Culture.
"It's been proven that when the Chinese economy is thriving, most African economies also thriving. We can look at the aspect of various economic and infrastructure developments that have taken place in the past," said Esther Banda, a Zambian economist.
"Africa will remain important to China, and I think South Africa must keep the channels between South Africa and China open because that (China) is an economy that will continue to grow very, very strongly. And it's very important for South Africa and for the world economy," said Dawid Roodt, a South African economist.
China's steady economic growth vital to global development: foreign experts
China's steady economic growth vital to global development: foreign experts
Hundreds of Japanese residents gathered in front of the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo on Thursday evening, demanding that Sanae Takaichi retract her recent erroneous remarks regarding China's Taiwan region.
At a Diet meeting on Nov. 7, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which has immediately drawn strong criticism at home and abroad.
Holding placards and banners that read "Against war" and "Takaichi resign", the protesters chanted "We don't want a prime minister who incites war! Takaichi, withdraw your remarks immediately! The Takaichi administration must step down now!"
"Stop military expansion! Stop missile deployment immediately!" the protesters also shouted.
"What exactly is Takaichi thinking? Isn't she pushing Japan into war? I believe she must retract her statements immediately. From a diplomatic perspective, as a member of Japan's Diet, she utterly lacks basic common sense. As a Japanese citizen, I truly find her behavior shameful," said a protester.
Takaichi's provocative remarks regrading Taiwan has constituted a serious challenge to Japan's pacifist constitution and its legal obligations as a defeated country in World War II, said the protesters.
"Japan inflicted tremendous harm on Asian countries during the Asia-Pacific War [of World War II]. That is precisely why we pledged 'Never again to wage war, never again to possess weapons,' and established the crucial Article 9 of our Constitution. Therefore, we absolutely cannot accept Takaichi's provocative remarks against China," said another protester.
The Constitution of Japan was enacted in 1947 and is known as the pacifist postwar constitution. The cornerstone of the constitution is Article 9, which renounces the nation's right to engage in war or to resort to military force to resolve international conflicts.
For decades, this article has been a fundamental constraint on Japan's military endeavors.
"Japan has the pacifist constitution and must absolutely not head towards war. We must return to this fundamental principle. Takaichi must immediately stop and retract her remarks. She must apologize, resign and take responsibility for the mistake," said a Japanese protester.
Japanese residents rally, urging PM to retract erroneous remarks regarding China's Taiwan
