Interview: CPC always focuses on wellbeing of Chinese people, says former Costa Rican president

CARTAGO, Costa Rica, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) has always focused on the wellbeing of the Chinese people since it was founded 100 years ago, former Costa Rican President Jose Maria Figueres has said.

In an interview with Xinhua, Figueres lauded China's remarkable achievements made under the leadership of the CPC, including the tremendous economic growth over the last decades and China's increasingly important role in the international arena.

"If I may focus on one element, it would be that throughout the 100 years, the CPC has concentrated on the wellbeing of the Chinese people," said Figueres, who served as Costa Rican president between 1994 and 1998.

The focus has always been "on the people, on their wellbeing, on their opportunities to lead meaningful lives with good health, good education and good opportunities to carry out their dreams," he said.

Figueres hailed the CPC's successful fight against poverty as one of the principal successes the party has achieved.

It has been "a great miracle" to lift over 700 million people out of poverty ever since China's reform and opening-up, he said. "Such a transformation has never been seen in the history of humanity."

This is "a tremendous success that many other countries around the world should follow," Figueres stressed.

Having been to China several times, Figueres recalled that every time he visited China, he found important changes in the constant fight for the wellbeing of the Chinese people throughout the country.

The determination of the CPC to continuously improve the quality of lives of its people is "what has always impressed me the most in all my visits to China," he noted.

Figueres also spoke highly of the CPC's endeavor to promote common development across the globe.

Hailing the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, Figueres said it is designed "to promote economic development around the world, and help people achieve better livelihood and their dreams."

The initiative is "another testament to the courage, the power and the generous spirit of giving" of China, he said.

China is a responsible major country willing to share development opportunities with other nations and determined to promote global cooperation to solve common challenges facing mankind, he added.