The transformation and success of China is nothing short of an economic miracle, said Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday.
At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Wong will visit China from June 22 to 26 -- his first official trip to the country as the prime minister of Singapore.
In an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Wong, who have traveled extensively across China over the years, talked about the major changes and transformations that he had seen.
"The transformation and success of China, I feel, is nothing short of an economic miracle. Because in the last 20 or so years, when I have been visiting China regularly, even as a civil servant and then later as a politician, across so many different Chinese cities, not just Beijing and Shanghai, but even in a city like Chengdu and other cities, you can see transformation happening; you can see the determination and the drive of the Chinese people to move forward; and you can see lives getting better and improving. So it is a remarkable change, and I continue to wish China every success in its ongoing transformation and modernization efforts," he said.
The Singaporean prime minister said he has confidence in Chinese economic performance, especially amid global headwinds, lauding Chinese leadership at multiple levels and the people of China who have "tremendous ingenuity and resourcefulness".
"I have interacted so many times with Chinese leaders at all levels -- the mayors, the Party secretaries, the governors, and of course, the leaders at the center in Beijing. And I have always been impressed by the high level of competence, by their deep mastery of issues. They understand the challenges. They are focused on resolving the challenges and problems that China faces. But it is more than just competence and mastery; it is also a willingness to listen and to be open-minded about finding better solutions. Because governments never get everything right. It is impossible. Governments will make mistakes from time to time. What distinguishes a high-quality system is the ability to reflect, learn, and keep on improving and doing better. And I see that in the Chinese system," said Wong.
"But the biggest reason, the most important reason why I have confidence in China is because of the people of China. It is because of their tremendous ingenuity and resourcefulness, the deep drive to succeed, to strive and work hard, and that gives me confidence that China will continue to have a good future ahead," he said.
China's transformation, success nothing short of economic miracle: Singaporean PM
China's transformation, success nothing short of economic miracle: Singaporean PM
