Zheng Zeguang, China's ambassador to the United Kingdom, gives a briefing of the gist of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China at a symposium held in London on Monday. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

More than a dozen leaders of political parties and China experts gathered at a symposium in London on Monday to share their understanding of the report delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, at the 20th CPC National Congress on Oct 16.

Zheng Zeguang, China's ambassador to the United Kingdom, gave a briefing on the gist of the congress at the symposium, which was themed "China's New Journey — World's New Opportunities".

"The congress has been held at a critical time as the Party and Chinese people embark on a new journey of the new era. … The most important achievement of the congress is the election of a new central leadership," Zheng said.

He also talked about key Party events that have had historic meaning, highlights of 16 aspects of the Party's achievements in the past decade, and the Party's objectives and strategies for the next five years and beyond. In addition, he shared his thoughts on China's foreign policy and Sino-UK relations.

Andy Brooks, general secretary of the New Communist Party of Britain, said, "As China continues down the road of modernization of Chinese-style socialism, communists all over the world are looking to see how the Chinese communists and the people's government that they lead will face the challenges of the next five years."

Brooks said that while imperialist powers use their "military and economic might to impose their neocolonial rule throughout the developing world, the Chinese people can and do provide the countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America with an alternative source of high technology and economic assistance without the odious strings attached" that always accompany dealing with the West.

"China is strong, but it oppresses no one," he added. "It stays true to the principle of the equality of all countries — big and small, strong or weak, and rich and poor. It respects the development paths and social systems independently chosen by all the world's people."

Ella Rule, chair of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist), said the CPC's fighting spirit and firm determination to never yield to coercive power struck her the most.

"This, I think, is extremely important in the present circumstances in which we're living in preparation for the tough challenges that face the world ahead," Rule said.

"The people of the world need a strong China led by a strong Party guided by scientific socialism competently applied to current conditions," she added.

Neil Davidson, a member of the UK's House of Lords, said the new development philosophy laid out in the report interests him the most.

"This shows a different way in which the world can be developed and is a message to many other economies that have not achieved development status," Davidson said.

As a lawyer, Davidson was also drawn to the development of the rule of law in China.

"I think, too often, the UK, and possibly the West, generally doesn't understand the way in which Chinese law is developing at a remarkable pace," he said. "For the UK, it took us hundreds of years to develop our legal system. China is moving at a remarkable rate of progress toward developing its own legal system."

Stephen Perry, chairman of the 48 Group Club, said China's approach of long-term central planning is needed in the West, and he urged people to pay close attention to the Party congress report.

"Capitalism with its multiparty system is unable, because of the general elections that are regularly held, to do anything in the way of long-term planning," he said. "And if one looks at the Party's congress report, one sees the important feature, the core feature of central planning."

He added that China "is becoming the world's leader in innovation".

"And we need to see where China is making its investment in innovation, because those will be the important areas, where they're going to concentrate," he said.

Martin Albrow, a fellow of the British Academy of Social Sciences, said: "We are in an era of declining economic globalization and fragmentation, particularly in the Western world. And from that point of view, I think that the remarkable example that China shows is how to strengthen and provide stability."