On October 17, I wrote about how, in 1973, Chinese staff at the China Liaison Office in the U.S. transformed the Windsor Park Hotel into a fully functional office—without hiring outside help. Everyone contributed to the manual labor, from diplomats to staff.
At that time, China was one of the poorest countries in the world. Now, over four decades later, it’s on the path to becoming a 小康社会(xiǎokāng shèhuì) "moderately prosperous society."
China's transformation—from extreme poverty to becoming a serious global competitor in less than half a century—is nothing short of a miracle, especially considering such progress typically takes a century.
I recall a 2020 Wall Street Journal article by James Areddy, where he discussed China’s claim of eradicating extreme poverty, part of their goal to build a moderately prosperous society. While he raised questions about the definitions and thresholds used, it’s undeniable that if China were still as poor as it was in 1973, it wouldn’t be regarded as a major global player by the U.S.
For decades, China’s top priority has been to lift itself out of poverty—a goal shared by many countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The difference is that China succeeded in doing so to the extent that it now competes economically with many world tops. From an economic standpoint, China has achieved this goal with remarkable success.
While many attribute China's rapid development to policies, foreign investment, and opening up, I believe there's a valuable lesson: China’s unwavering focus on eliminating poverty through economic development. As individuals, if we could adopt this same focus, there’s little we couldn’t achieve.
China’s journey from extreme poverty to global economic power is a testament to the power of focused determination and resources. Among other factors, China’s single-minded dedication to eradicating poverty through economic development is a lesson we can all learn from. With the right focus and commitment, even the most ambitious goals can be achieved—whether for a nation or an individual.