Belgian think tank head says CPC gives strong direction, leadership

The country's decades of development "miracles" have resulted from the decisive leadership of the Communist Party of China, a China observer from Belgium said.

Pierre Defraigne, executive director of think tank Madariaga-College of Europe Centre in Bruges, made the comment as China's top legislators are meeting in Beijing, where they are scheduled to discuss and vote proposals by the CPC Central Committee on deepening reform of Party and State institutions.

"The credit for China's miracle (in previous decades) should go to the leadership of the CPC, which is key to that success," Defraigne said in an interview in Brussels.

Details of the institutional reform package will be announced at the ongoing annual session of National People's Congress.

President Xi Jinping has called for improving the distribution of Party and State administrative institutions, delegating more authority to institutions below the provincial level, and managing various institutions and organizations under the law, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Defraigne said it is clear the CPC's leadership can achieve strong and sustained economic growth while dealing with environmental protection, regional imbalances and social inequalities.

"Though the list of tasks are long, China is on the right track," he said.

Discussing the latest round of institutional reform, Defraigne said China still needs to seek a balance between the government and the market.

In previous decades of opening-up and reform, the country found a "practical balance" between the two, he said, adding that he also agrees the nation as a whole should not be overwhelmed by market forces.

He said he was so impressed when he first visited China in the early 1990s, when he discovered the country's energy and vitality while serving as director of North-South relations for the European Commission.

Defraigne said he has been able to compare all the emerging economies and become familiar with Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and China, "and I realized China was innovating a process that is really unprecedented".

The country is trying new ideas by combining long-term planning with action and making conclusions based on those results as they prove effective, he said.

"That is, I think, a very clever and unique way to reform a system, and it has been extraordinary successful," Defraigne said. "That extraordinary success is because China has deep roots in a very ancient civilization, with the State as a key actor. So for me, from that moment on, I have looked at China with great benevolence."

Defraigne said the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has done a "great job" in fighting corruption.

He also praised China's efforts to set up supervision commissions, from the central government to county-level governments, to strengthen anti-corruption efforts.

"I welcome that. I think it's extraordinary," Defraigne added. "You're taking actions for the people."

Wu Nian contributed to this story.

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