STORY: China's governance model offers key insights for global democracies, says Belgian expert
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Sept. 19, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:18
LOCATION: Brussels
CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Chinese economy
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): BERNARD DEWIT, Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC)
3. various of the Chinese economy
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): BERNARD DEWIT, Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC)
5. various of Democratic consultations in Zhejiang, China
6. various of Chinese street views

STORYLINE:

China's economic success, poverty elimination, and opening-up highlight the government's focus on improving people's well-being, says Bernard Dewit, Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC).

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): BERNARD DEWIT, Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC)
"I would say the important (thing) I see in China is the economic success they have had. And the fact that following that, more than hundreds of millions of people went out of poverty.
It (the Chinese governance model) is centered on the people, it is centered on the well-being of the people, on the fact that the level of life of the people should raise.
And what we see also is that the Chinese government is very pragmatic. The government is speaking of opening up the economy, is speaking on continuing reforms for the private sector, for instance, that is something important."

Dewit added that China's collective approach to economic reform offers insights that can inspire other nations to reflect on their own democratic systems.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): BERNARD DEWIT, Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC)
"We all have our own systems here in Europe. I think it is important that dialogue takes place that we respect each other, that we listen to each other, and that we take into account some of the lessons given by the other one. I hope that we listen to the Chinese government, (for) the way they have handled the economy of the country, the way they have provided access of the population to a certain number of vital services in the society.
I would say that what is interesting is that we see in the Chinese culture, the group is important. It's the group who will decide.
And so the fact that the Chinese approach in the way that it was a collective decision to move ahead in the opening-up of the economy has given good results. So we should listen to that.
A certain number of countries, especially in other continents, can take also some inspiration of this."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Brussels.
(XHTV)