China's "Xiaokang" in eyes of foreign students

CHANGSHA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The rapid development of online payment, expressways, and high-speed rail in China in recent years has impressed Yemeni student Waled Al-Sabri a lot. He believes what he has seen now in the country is the so-called "moderately prosperous life."

Waled Al-Sabri, who has spent 10 years in China, studies ophthalmology at Xiangya Hospital Central South University, central China's Hunan Province.

"China has made tremendous progress in fields such as the economy, science and technology, and culture and environment. The building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects cannot be achieved without the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). It is not only China's great achievement but also a good example for other countries," he said.

On July 1, China announced it achieved its first centenary goal -- building a moderately prosperous society, or Xiaokang in Chinese, in all respects.

According to Fulgencio Nsue, Waled Al-Sabri's schoolmate from Equatorial Guinea, the Chinese government responded swiftly to the COVID-19 outbreak by providing free medical treatment to the public and efficiently brought the epidemic under control. "The practice of putting the people first is very touching," he said.

After visiting Hunan's Shibadong village, the birthplace of "targeted poverty alleviation," Mohamed Jiahd was shocked by the massive changes in the once poor mountainous village. The 24-year-old Egyptian student majors in broadcasting and hosting art at the Communication University of China in Beijing.

To his surprise, there is now full WiFi coverage in the village, and the signal there is good. Many local children could even speak fluent English with him.

"The changes are amazing. It shows that the local government attaches great importance to education," said Mohamed Jiahd.

The young man wrote a thesis on China's targeted poverty alleviation in Shibadong village. He said that he hopes to bring all the experience he has learned in China to his country.

Le Thi Huong, a Ph.D. student from Vietnam studying in Hunan, was also impressed by the deeds of the Party cadres and local people overcoming poverty together in the province after visiting an exhibition on poverty alleviation.

"Chinese people believe in the Party and the government," she said.

Her view was echoed by the Malagasy student R. Jery Elis. He said that the achievements China has attained make him believe that the CPC is a political party wholeheartedly supported by the Chinese people.

"The well-off life of Chinese people is evident in the smiles on their faces," he said.