Visitors to the China Daily website give their views and comments on a number of issues arising from the 17th Party congress.

Topic: Is there anything we should learn from today's China?

Yes.

A nation that can solve world problems without using aggression or invading other nation's sovereignty.

A nation that looks to appease rather than confront (e.g. trade disputes with US).

A nation with people who have principles and values of the highest order.

A nation that does not hold grudges despite imperial aggression in her past.

A nation that is loved by everyone around the world for her giving (compared to colonial powers who are hated for stealing in Africa, Asia, Americas ...).

There are many more but I will leave some for others to contribute.

Changabula (UK)

Topic: President Hu's List of Dos and Don'ts for China

I guess our grandparents wouldn't think they were simplistic.

I have just returned from a short visit to Yunnan Province, and I wish Mr Bai (provincial Party chief) well in his efforts to promote walnuts in place of corn. Yunnanese walnuts are fei chang hao chi (very delicious) and should provide substantial export income for the province. I was impressed to see the characters reading "In the People's Republic of China, all power belongs to the people" inscribed on the Party headquarters. I am confident that the policy of carrying out a Scientific Outlook on Development will ensure that the political power of the people is strengthened and that the environment will be protected in the course of developing sustainable industry and agriculture. Good luck!

Mike Williss (Australia)

Topic: China soul

I would propose President Hu's Eight "Dos and Don'ts" as the soul of China

Love, do not harm, the motherland.

Serve, don't disserve, the people.

Uphold science; don't be ignorant and unenlightened.

Work hard; don't be lazy and hate work.

Be united and help each other; don't gain benefits at the expense of others.

Be honest and trustworthy, not profit-mongering at the expense of your values.

Be disciplined and law-abiding instead of chaotic and lawless.

Adhere to plain living and hard struggle, do not wallow in luxuries and pleasures.

Hailei (Magic)

China has yet to develop a new soul of its own, probably a combination of an adapted version of Confucianism and universally held modern values. Confucianism has been in the past millennia, and will continue to be, the core of Chinese culture.

While it was once or twice denied, negated, and worse still discarded during China's recent history in favor of other ideologies, its values are still cherished by a good majority of Chinese people. To this day, many Chinese people still observe its tenets. Even the least knowledgeable person living in the most rural area quotes some Confucius in educating their child.

What's the core value of Confucianism and why does it have such a tenacious hold on China's culture? This is the question I often contemplate and many must have thrown light on.

My thoughts lead me to this conclusion: People need to be good, and Confucius was a great mentor to learn from. Despite some demerits, Confucianism teaches people how to be generally good.

As a matter of fact, these values are not unique to Chinese culture. They are also present in other cultures of the world, only in a different form, religious or otherwise. Culture is to people a way of expressing the common good we desire for humankind.

Gratewall (Singapore)

More and more I am confident in our country's future.

The CPC will lead the Chinese people in building a well-off society that ensures balanced economic growth, improvement of people's well-being and social justice.

It will also manage to narrow the widening income gap, expand democracy, prevent and check corruption, modernize its armed forces and enhance the "soft power" of its culture, which most Chinese wait for.

Loreamjin

Topic: China - A role model to all nations

China is a role model to all developing nations around the globe.

After centuries of oppression and domination by Western nations, most developing countries are trying to pull their nations out of poverty.

They look at China's rapid progress as an example.

China also gives aid and technical help to these nations and has formed many bilateral and multilateral relations for the benefit of everyone.

The developed nations benefit as well.

Recently, China has helped to arbitrate between the US and North Korea (DPRK). There are also many more examples too numerous to mention.

Changabula (UK)

(China Daily 10/22/2007 page6)