Under the leadership of the CPC, China has made some momentous achievements over the past five years and sights are now being on the next set of goals

Editor's notes: On the occasion of the opening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China Daily interviewed foreign dignitaries who have offered their thoughts on China's achievements over the past decade, expectations for the congress and the outlook for China's future in multiple fields including the economy, technology, foreign policy and social development. Reports by Song Ping and Zhang Zhao contributed.

China has shown itself to be a great economic power. What is happening incredibly well is that China is transitioning from the efficient manufacturing center of the world to the center of science and technology of the 21st century. This is extremely important.

In order to lead the world, by example, you should not only be able to produce goods or provide services or make excellent agriculture, but you must be the leader in science and technology, in natural sciences, in mathematics, and in digitalization.

China has to focus on high-quality achievements, including a high-quality Belt and Road Initiative. What does it mean? It needs to create top scientific institutions, top technological organizations and top educational institutions, but not only for Chinese. China should be focusing on attracting talents from around Asia, from around the world, to produce the best possible inventions and discoveries. That is the only way to be the leader in the 21st century. It's not enough to excel as a producer of steel, concrete or cement. No, it will not do. It will be needed, but this must be secondary. So we all must focus on high technology and generate talents that will work together in our region.

The Communist Party of China is the leading force and shows its high efficiency in managing the country, in helping people, in bringing the country out of poverty. All the world should pay attention to the 20th National Congress of the CPC because one of the key principles of the Party is that it draws up five-year plans with very concrete, precise details. What were the positive and negative outcomes of past plans? And what will likely happen in China within the next five years? All decisionmakers around the world are looking at what will happen, what will be the main tasks for the country, what the priorities will be for the Party over the next five years, which is a quite considerable time frame.