Nation well-placed to meet modern challenges

Koh believes China is right to focus on improving its government system, and the two sessions provide it with an opportunity for reassessment.

It is the perfect forum for the Chinese government to assess, review and explain its performance to its people and the world, he said.

The October plenum focused on improving governance in a number of key areas. These included streamlining operation of the government structure, continued economic reform, making governance more people-centric, ensuring a social security safety net, improving the environment, and greater effectiveness of the rule of law.

It was made clear that the Party leadership would head the delivery of necessary reforms and coordinate the work of all government bodies.

The modernization drive is directed toward meeting landmark national goals over the next 30 years.

The first of these is to eliminate all forms of extreme poverty and become a moderately prosperous society by the end of this year, in time for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China in 2021. This is seen as China's system achieving maturity.

By 2035, when China aims to become a global technology leader and see major environmental improvements－summed up by the term "a Beautiful China"－modernization of the system will be "basically achieved".

Full realization will come in 2049, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, when the nation will become a "great modern socialist country".