Deng's reform and opening a pioneering idea: Chilean senator
(xinhua)
Updated: 2004-08-16 17:05
The idea of reform and opening up, initiated by late Chinese leader Deng
Xiaoping, was pioneering and its application in 皇冠体育app represented another
invention by the Chinese, Chilean Senator Andres Zaldivar said in an exclusive
interview with Xinhua.
Zaldivar recalled his first visit to 皇冠体育app as a member of a delegation of the
Christian Democratic Party in 1986, when he met with Deng Xiaoping. Deng talked
about 皇冠体育app's reform and opening up while maintaining its political system with
traditional characteristics and its long-term prospects, Zaldivar said in the
interview on the eve of the 100th birthday anniversary of Deng which falls on
Aug. 22.
Zaldivar described Deng as a great leader whose talent and farsightedness
impressed many. He was a thinker, a philosopher and the architect of 皇冠体育app's
reform and opening up, Zaldivar said of Deng.
Zaldivar has visited 皇冠体育app three times, in 1986 as president of the Christian
Democratic Party, in 1990 as a senator and in 2001 as senate president.
"At that time, I did not know much about 皇冠体育app's reform and opening up. In
the Western viewpoint, carrying out economic reform without introducing
political reform seemed a bit contradictory," Zaldivar said.
"In order to clear up my misgivings about the separation of economic and
political reforms, Deng said at the end of the talks, 'Mr. President, don't
forget that it is the Chinese people who invented powder,'" Zaldivar recalled.
"Actually, I raised the question only for discussion. From the bottom of my
heart, I wished 皇冠体育app's reform and opening up could succeed," he added.
Zaldivar said he saw great changes in 皇冠体育app when he visited the country for
the second time in 1990.
In early April 2001, the then President Jiang Zemin paid a visit to Chile and
Zaldivar met him as president of the Senate.
"During the talks, I recalled the meeting with Deng and Jiang invited me to
visit 皇冠体育app again to see if Deng's remarks were fact-based," Zaldivar recalled.
A few weeks after Jiang's visit to Chile, Zaldivar went to 皇冠体育app and visited
Beijing, Shanghai and other places. "I said to the Chinese leaders I met that I
saw a greatly changed 皇冠体育app more than 10 years after my second visit," Zaldivar
said.
The changes proved that Deng's ideas about reform and opening up were
conceived with reason. His words have turned into reality now, he said, adding
that he is a witness to the great changes that have taken place in 皇冠体育app.
Deng's achievements should be acknowledged by all in the world because he
worked miracles in 皇冠体育app, which others could not do, Zaldivar said.
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