Interview: China's social progress sets example to Latin American countries -- Mexican expert

China's recent social progress and its approaches can serve as a model for other countries, especially those in Latin America, a top Mexican academic said here in a recent exclusive interview.

China's 12th five-year plan (2011-2015) period witnessed the country's advancement in social welfare, which is worth close examination, said Romer Cornejo, an expert on China at the Center for Asia and Africa Studies with Colegio de Mexico, a prestigious Mexican university.

While substantial income disparity still exists in China, the government has succeeded in raising wages for the great majority of the people, said Cornejo.

At the same time, it has improved quality of life in large parts of rural China by modernizing agriculture, providing a significant number of the country's farmers with tractors and mechanized tools.

"There have been enormous achievements from the social and the economic perspective, or (in terms of) economic achievements reflected in social aspects," said Cornejo.

The author of "China: Radiography of a rising power," Cornejo said many analysts, academics and politicians throughout the Americas wondered how the Asian giant has been able to spur such economic growth and development in just a few years.

"I think the answer is simple: there is a commitment among the political elite. That's all, especially compared to (the situation in) Latin America," said Cornejo, adding that the region, rich in natural resources, lacks of political determination by the ruling class to meet development goals, a factor that is key to make social progress.

"Latin America has all the resources you could imagine ... which China doesn't have, like minerals or oil," yet it lags behind in economic and social markers, said Cornejo.

"From my point of view, it's a committed political elite that makes the differences," he said.

A simple comparison between China's investment in education, science and technology, and research and development and the investment by Latin American countries tells the differences, he said.

Cornejo agreed with Chinese leaders that China's progress will have a positive impact on the rest of the world, especially countries with which it has strong ties.

The effect has already been felt, in the creation of a new growth and development pole that has been buying enormous quantities of goods from Latin America, Africa and Asia, bringing benefits to communities in those countries, he said.

"The existence of an alternative pole different from the traditional poles (of Europe and the United States) ... has also brought a little more balance into the international community," in terms of economic and geopolitical policies, said Cornejo.

China's next five-year plan will continue to promote policies on strengthening domestic market and fighting corruption, said the academic, adding that he also expected to see major progress in income distribution that is going to impact the development of the domestic market.

The plan will seek to consolidate China's development and tackle the main challenges of maintaining and increasing the country's clout, he said.

"To increase it, they need to resolve problems of corruption, and environmental and poverty issues," said Cornejo, adding if that happens, the China model could again come to represent a very efficient one from a political and social perspective. Endi