by Nathan Morley
NICOSIA, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- An event in Cyprus to mark the 40th anniversary of China's Reform and Opening Up has highlighted the growing relationship between the two countries.
The gathering of academics, diplomats and the media at the European University in Nicosia on Friday discussed China's milestone economic reforms which were launched in 1978. Since then, China has seen unprecedented economic growth, coupled with vast improvements in living conditions, health care, trade and education.
In her opening remarks, Georgia Constantinou-Panayiotou, the deputy spokesman of the ruling Democratic Rally, said the party supported all efforts to make Cyprus a 'reliable and strategic partner' with China, citing existing ties in health, education, investment, research and tourism.
"More and more Chinese people are discovering Cyprus as a tourist destination, showing great interest in its historic and cultural heritage," Constantinou-Panayiotou said.
"We need to take all the necessary steps to boost touristic movements between the two countries by the issuing of visas and improving air connectivity. I am confident that the productive brainstorming which is taking place between Chinese and Cypriots will produce concrete proposals on the way forward," she added.
Speaking at the same event, Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus Huang Xingyuan, said reforms since 1978 have 'changed the destiny of China and the Chinese people'. He also explained how China had built the world's largest social security network, whilst making compulsory education free for both urban and rural populations over the last four decades.
"China's reforms and opening up are essentially twofold - reforms from the inside and opening up to the outside," Huang said. "Fourty years of reforms and opening up have brought about immense changes in China. China's GDP increased by 225 times, disposable income per capita grew 23 times, with 740 million Chinese people lifted out of poverty."
In a short speech, veteran Cyprus Ambassador Dr. Andrestinos Papadopoulos described bilateral relations as being excellent and 'based on mutual respect and growth in cooperation.'
"Needless to mention on many international issues China and Cyprus see eye-to-eye," Papadopoulos observed.
In his closing remarks, Huang warned that any efforts trying to contain or stop China would put the global economy and poverty reduction 'in harm's way'.
"China is now the world's second largest economy, with the world's largest industrial output and the largest number of outbound tourists. China has been driving global prosperity by contributing more than 30 percent to world economic growth," Huang concluded.
Relations between China and Cyprus have been expanding rapidly over the last decade. In 2017, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said Chinese investors buying property on the island had contributed to the recovery of the moribund construction sector after a financial crisis hit the country in 2013.
