by Seare Habtemichael Luul
ASS. Head of Division, Senior Journalist and Director of Ministry of Information, Eritrea
I have never been to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), but I have heard a lot of positive things about the country from my Eritrean friends and colleagues who have had the fortune to visit it.
I’ve learned, for instance, that notwithstanding the fact that China is the second most populous country in the world, it enjoys incredibly high levels of peace, safety and security, and harmony. My friends regaled me with stories about how foreigners and locals, both in small towns and even giant cities, like Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing, among others can walk freely and go on about their lives, with little fear of theft or other crimes.
Of course, the fact that China has achieved unprecedented socioeconomic growth and moved hundreds of millions out of poverty is globally recognized and admired. But I was especially astonished to learn that part of the secret behind this all has been the commitment and discipline of the people, alongside the strong organization and leadership of the government.
A great reflection of this is the Great Wall of China. It is abundantly clear that such an enormous and impressive work of art and feat of engineering could only be completed by a people who have mastered the meaning and significance of hard work and organization.
Perhaps more than anything else, I have been fascinated about the government’s talent of managing peace and security of the country, which is blessed with a huge and industrious population. Again, I was surprised when I learned that the government manages to ensure work for most of its citizens. This is really amazing and the citizens of the PRC must be proud of themselves to have such a wonderful leadership.
Again, I have learnt that the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party is credited for the establishment of modern powerful China. Decades ago, the most prominent Chinese leader, and the founder of the PRC, Mao Zedong, set the country on its path to growth, development, and progress. Since then, the people and the government have assumed their role to take the country to new height.
*The views and opinions expressed in the articles are solely those of the individual authors and do not reflect the position of the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Journalist Network.