Manila Bulletin, Apr. 1, 2019, Arroyo Meets With Chinese Premier Li, Cites China's Development Lessons.pdf

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National News

Monday, April1,2019

Arroyo meets with Chinese Premier Li, cites Ghina's development lessons irr, i.&@iri80{&${01{i{Fl"i(iii:t::

/,-rl peaker Gioria Macap4gal Arroyo, along with other officers of \ I \ the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) X/said she hada "valuable" meeting with Chinese Premier Li lGqiang' dwing the recently concluded BFA Annual Convention in Hainan, China.

The fotmer President cited that their discussion with Li zeroed in on the direction China is taking on its 40th year ofreforms and its ties with the rest of the world. Li's meeting with the BFA officers, including Arroyo as a member of the Boanl, was one of the highlights of the BFA Annual Conference 2019. The BFA gathers leaders in government, business and academic institu-

tions throughout Asia to share their thoughts on the mostpressing issues in t}te region and the world. Arroyo, who is on her second year as a member of thci Board of the BFA,

hailed China's leadership in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative or the "GlobaLization V2" which aims to fosLer cooperation and development. She cited the current Chinese leadership's implementation of Deng Xiaop-

ing's so ialism with Chinese characteristics. Arr'ryo attributed China's remark-

able growth, particrilarly during the past two decades to "its own model of development using yow own historical experience." Shenoted that China showed that no development rnodel can be "applied

universally and that the diversity of historical conditions determines the development paths that countries could take.

"Cfina has given us the lesson'that ther€ isjust not one path fo;' development because prior tb China's experience, it was thought that the only way to development is the Western

style model of Jeffersonian democracy and cor.rpled with a free market," Arrbyo said. "But China has shown the world that you can have your

own model of development using your own historical experience, especially China in the last 40 yea$. Since the opening of China 40 years

ago, it has transformed itselt it is the world's leading growth, unmatched in history 400 million people lifted.out

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from poverty China is on the verge.ol becoming the largest economy in the world," she said.