by New Worker correspondent
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| Ma Jiantang and Zheng Zeguang at the meeting |
Andy Brooks joined other British communist leaders and solidarity campaigners in welcoming a senior Chinese delegation to London at a meeting chaired by China’s ambassador, Zheng Zeguang, at the Chinese embassy last week.
The five-strong delegation was led by Ma Jiantang, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China who also sits on the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) that plays a central part in the communist-led work of the United Front of China.
At the embassy the NCP leader, together with Alex Gordon of the CPB and Ranjeet Brar from the CPGB-ML along with a number of long-standing friendship activists, were briefed on China's efforts to expand domestic demand and promote high-quality development under the 15th Five-Year Plan which began this year.
In the discussion Andy Brooks said “the success of the Chinese revolution led by the Communist Party of China, is one of the greatest achievements of humanity. The communists were the only force capable of building the broad front in the struggle against Japanese aggression. They were the only ones able to unite China’s millions in the struggle against the landlords and exploiters during the civil war that ended with the establishment of the people’s government in 1949.
“Since then we’ve seen an amazing transformation of a country which was the poorest in the world to a prosperous pillar of the Global South that is paving the way forward in the 21st century.
“There may only be one road to people’s power but there are many roads along the way of socialist construction. Chinese-style socialism, based on the experience of generations of struggle, is one of them”.
During their stay in London Ma Jiantang and his delegation also held discussions with government, business and academic circles as well as representatives of leading UK media outlets.
