Correspondent pays tribute to Party's leadership, resilience

Jaime FlorCruz, who worked as a foreign correspondent in China for about 40 years, had a front-row view of major events and developments in the country, giving him a unique perspective of its social and economic progress guided by the Communist Party of China.

Starting his reporting career in the early 1980s, shortly after China embraced the path of economic reforms and opening up to the outside world, he is amazed at how far the nation has advanced in terms of economic prosperity and improving people's lives in just a few decades.

He said much of that success stems from the CPC leadership and its unswerving pursuit of its goals.

"What is incredible is how China has changed in such a relatively short time. This was made possible because of the CPC's strong, single-minded leadership and, just as important, its resilience and ability to adapt to changing situations," FlorCruz said.

The CPC allowed FlorCruz, then a Filipino student leader, to travel to China in 1971, when premier Zhou Enlai hosted a secret meeting with United States secretary of state Henry Kissinger. It was the first time in more than 20 years that a high-level US official had visited China.

"China had shifted its strategic goals by normalizing ties with the US. This also signaled that China was ready to resume normal relations with the rest of the world... by inviting groups like ours (to visit and know more about the country)," FlorCruz said.

He was referring to a group of Filipino student leaders, young academics and professionals who were invited to join a study tour hosted by the China Friendship Association.

FlorCruz was due to stay in China for just three weeks, but political turbulence in the Philippines forced him to opt for an "open-ended political exile".

Looking back, he said his "exile" was a blessing in disguise, as it gave him an ideal opportunity to watch China's contemporary history unfold. It also gave him many chances to meet CPC cadres, including grassroots leaders, university students, and county and city officials. He was impressed by the way in which they took their responsibilities seriously.

"I frequently heard them chant the slogan 'Serve the people'. The cadres that I knew seemed to follow that as a mantra," FlorCruz said, adding that the cadres aspired to be both dedicated Communists and experts in their jobs.