Participants from Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East attending international seminars in China have commended the country’s approach to ethnic unity, governance, and economic development, describing it as a model worth studying by developing nations.
The participants spoke in separate interviews with reporters on the sidelines of training programs organized by the Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO) under China’s Ministry of Commerce.
They said China’s development experience, governance practices, and management of ethnic diversity offered valuable lessons for countries seeking sustainable growth and social stability.
Mr. Kaomo Mohammed Lawan, Head of the Liaison Office in Abuja for Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, described the seminar as enlightening and relevant to current governance challenges.
“This seminar is very interesting. It teaches us many things we need to work on regarding governance, policies, ethics, and principles in Nigeria,” he said.
Lawan emphasized that one key lesson is the role of sound governance in national development.
“One major takeaway is how to curb corruption and promote development. Government policies are the foundation of governance. Ethics must align with culture and daily life,” he added.
Moraima Changoluisa, a political scientist from Ecuador, highlighted China’s management of ethnic diversity as a significant aspect of the program.
She noted that Ecuador, like China, is a multi-ethnic society and could benefit from some of the shared experiences.
“In Ecuador, we have 20 nationalities and 15 indigenous groups. China has 56 ethnic groups, and the government respects their languages, religions, and cultures.
“We want to adopt a similar approach while respecting our differences, especially language,” she said.
Changoluisa also expressed interest in China’s economic transformation.
“We learned about Chinese history, how the People’s Republic started in 1949, and how China became a strong economy.
“I want to learn from that process, adopt the positive aspects, and share them with my people back home,” she added.
Mr. Shihab Al-Busaidi, an architectural engineer with Oman’s Ministry of Housing attending a Smart City Seminar, said the program provided valuable insights into China’s development model.
“It was a good experience learning about Chinese culture, history, policies, Hong Kong, and Macau,” he said.
He believes China’s industrial transformation and urban development strategies could benefit Oman’s smart city initiatives.
“Learning from their policies, industrial progress, and urban planning will be very helpful,” he added.
Mr. Mamat Sallah, Director of Cultural Heritage at The Gambia’s National Centre for Arts and Culture, said the seminar highlighted the importance of unity and peaceful coexistence among diverse ethnic groups.
“From the opening ceremony, I saw that the seminar focuses on integrating ethnic groups, promoting peace, harmony, and mutual respect,” he said.
“In short, it’s about building peace within societies.”
Sallah praised the lectures for providing a comprehensive overview of China’s history and modernization.
“The professor explained China’s journey from its origins to today’s modern state.
What impressed me most was a map showing how development was strategically implemented based on regional resources,” he said.
He believes China’s regional development approach offers practical lessons for countries aiming to maximize local resources for growth.
“It’s a smart way to develop—by identifying resources in different regions and empowering local communities,” he explained.
Sallah noted that The Gambia has untapped potential, especially around the River Gambia, and could benefit from policies that leverage local resources.
“We have the River Gambia, a major resource, yet we still import food.
This shows the need for policies that promote economic development and improve livelihoods,” he said.
Participants also valued the seminars as opportunities for cross-cultural exchange, networking, and sharing best practices among developing countries.
They expressed optimism that lessons from China’s experiences in governance, economic transformation, ethnic affairs, and cultural development would inform policy reforms and sustainable development efforts in their countries.
