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Interview: China reforms all life aspects

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-16 18:32

JAKARTA -- China had reformed all aspects of life, things that became its main capital to be one of the prominent countries in the world, Indonesian officials told Xinhua in recent exclusive interviews.

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Sukamdani Sahid Gitosarjono, president of the Association of Indonesia-China Economic, Social and Culture Cooperation, said that China's progress was mostly supported by its huge natural and human resources.

"The Chinese are hard workers. They managed to change their destiny from poor to rich people and grow fast," said Sukamdani.

He said that China is a socialist country in terms of political system, but a liberal country in terms of economy, so China is not reluctant to invite foreign capital.

The result is China grows extraordinarily. It managed to develop foreign markets, he said, adding that Chinese products spread rapidly worldwide, including to Indonesia.

Sukamdani recalled that China-Indonesia relationship was frozen until he, as the chairman of the Asia Pacific's Industry and Commerce Chamber, tried to liquefy it.

"As businessman and chairman of some institutions, I paved the way to open bilateral ties. A few years later, diplomatic ties between them were restored," he said. After that, he said, Indonesia-China's relationship got warm and produced mutual benefit.  

"Reforms occur in education, politics, economy, technology, agriculture, society, etc.. However, please don't think that before the reform era, China got nothing," said Djudjur Hutagalung, former chief of Indonesia's Education, Social and Culture for China, in his remarks on China's 30th reform anniversary.

He said that many years before the reform era 30 years ago, China had laid a good  foundation for better things today.

"If you visit the city's museum, you would see that China's ancient rulers had planned Beijing's form. Their successors only continued their works, perfecting their jobs and abandoning bad things," said Djudjur.

He stressed that the most important thing in China's reform was how policies could be carried out by the government and people.

"Certainly, it needs process, awareness and desire to sacrifice, " explained Djudjur.

Reforms, he said, started from the sense of belonging and good intention  anticipated by the government to bring prosperity for the people.

He also said that the Chinese were fully aware that education and school were the life breath.

"In China, people think that without education they are nothing. You know, before exams, students studied hard and avoid cheating. Once they are found cheating, they will carry the shame in the rest of their lives," he said.

The Chinese, he said, always think that from school, life is arranged.

"That's reform in thinking pattern and education," he said.

The Chinese government, he said, used TV and radio to gather people's thoughts so they knew what the people wanted and needed.

"Before TV and radio existed, they came directly to the people and asked them what they thought. What they do now is part of reforms using technology," he said.

The Chinese reforms led to huge economic growth. Currently, China holds almost 2 trillion U.S. dollars of foreign exchange reserves. In the last few years, China's economy grew at a double digit.    

Haidar Bhumi, a local reporter, said that he was surprised when he visited Shanghai five years ago. Initially, he thought that the city was still full of ancient buildings, things he saw in Chinese movies.

"It was amazing. Shanghai has many modern-architecture buildings. In fact, Shanghai is divided to two regions, the old one and the new one," he said.

The old Shanghai is full of European-style buildings while the new Shanghai is fulfilled with futuristic-style buildings.