Gains built on solid foundations

Half a century of observation qualifies Australian expert to hail Party's success

Editor's Note: Many people from overseas have made a contribution to China's development over the years. As China celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, China Daily looks at the lives and contributions of these friends from afar, who've not only witnessed, but also participated in, the country's transformation over the years.

As China prepares to celebrate the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Australian Sinologist Colin Mackerras says the country and its people "have a lot to be proud of".

"Much of what China has achieved today is down to the Party and its leadership. Sure, there have been mistakes along the way. But no country is infallible," says the professor emeritus at Griffith University from his home in Queensland state.

Despite his 81 years, Mackerras still has the same enthusiasm and passion for China and its people as he did when he first arrived in Beijing as a young, married English teacher straight from the hallowed halls of Cambridge University in 1964.

As a foreigner who has traveled extensively in China, he has seen, firsthand, the changes that have taken place from late Chairman Mao Zedong to President Xi Jinping. And his endeavors to build a better understanding between the two countries have earned him prestige.

When President Xi delivered his historic address to the Australian Parliament on Nov 17, 2014, he noted the presence of Mackerras among the invited guests to hear the speech.

After that first trip in 1964, Mackerras has since visited China over 60 times and made tireless efforts to present a real China to Australia and the world, based on his personal experience, of the country's development and progress, Xi said.

It was the Chinese government which invited the scholar who has since written extensively on China, including its culture, opera, and minorities, and Western images of China.

Even today he still finds China and its people fascinating.

"Looking back to when my wife and I first arrived in 1964 the change has been staggering. There is simply no comparison," he says.

"The people we met back then and have remained friends with are so much better off today… so much.

"The standard of living is a world apart. Better food, clothing, where you can live, travel, work and… well, just about everything is so much better today."

The academic says young people now live much better than their parents and grandparents did.

Even in the countryside life is much better than it used to be.

"Life is still hard but the standard of living for the people of rural China has improved enormously. But it must be pointed out that there has been a dramatic shift from the countryside to the urban areas in the last 50 or so years," Mackerras said.

"The leadership has encouraged greater urbanization and I personally think this is a good thing. The reasons are obvious: better education, housing, jobs, health, entertainment, culture, libraries … these things matter to people."

China's urban boom has not been without its critics, however, who say it has created traffic congestion and air pollution. It has even been suggested that rapid urbanization has destroyed traditional cultures.