A true friend of China

What do you feel has been China's biggest achievement over the past five years? What's the most notable change you've observed?

China has achieved much in many aspects over the last five years. One of the results is that the Chinese people are more confident than ever about their country's development.

The improvement of the people's confidence itself is one of the biggest achievements.

What three words would you use to describe China today?

Revitalizing, changing, confident.

What's the biggest challenge China faces, and how do you think the country should go about overcoming it?

The biggest challenge could come from the changes. First, China is playing an increasingly important role in the world, so some neighboring countries, and especially some developed Western countries may regard China as a challenger to the power they have maintained for many years. How to make the other countries believe a rapidly developing China is not a threat is really a tough issue.

I think China should attract even more foreigners, because from my own experience, having a look at the real China, not just the view from overseas, makes a big difference. More policies should also be made to attract more foreign talent to work in China. Letting them work here can make better use of their contribution, and also working in a country can give the foreigners more opportunities to develop a more profound understanding of the country.

What are your expectations for the upcoming 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China? What are the key issues you care about most?

I think China loves peace more than some of the developed countries. I hope it can play a more important role in world peace in the future.

What is your impression of President Xi Jinping?

I think he is a determined man. He has been trying his best to achieve what he has vowed to do. One of the examples is environmental protection. In the urban area of Hefei, there is a hill called Dashu Hill. When we were living in a community about 10 kilometers away, we could seldom see the hill from the window. For the last five years, the air has been clearing up. We now can see the hill from home in most days. President Xi puts a lot of emphasis on environmental protection. It's not what you say; it's what you do.

Also, Xi has been very good at choosing the right people to work with him. China is a big country, so officials have to collaborate with each other well.

Do you believe that some of China's experiences or practices could be used to solve pressing global problems? If so, what are they?

China has a very mature and comprehensive system to foster leadership. Officials should all start from basic positions and get promotions gradually. Before they became major officials, dozens of years should have passed and they should have collected enough experience to tackle seemingly tough problems.

I don't believe the Western countries' political practices could work in China, though many of them are considered successful by the Westerners themselves. Some of China's practices are also worth learning, such as how it trains its officials.

What do you think China will be like in five years' time? How do you view China's longer-term future?

Chinese people's incomes have increased significantly in recent years and they will become richer in the next five years. Opening up to the world has brought dramatic changes to the coastal regions, which have been more developed that the inland areas. I believe that in the coming five years, the gap between coastal and inland regions will be narrowed.

It's hard to make long-term predictions, but I hope China can keep its own development pace and have its own development patterns.

What's the most memorable experience you've had in China, or related to China?

Unforgettable experiences in China are many. I became the first South Korean person to receive the Chinese Central Government's Friendship Award in 2002 and the first from my country to get permanent residency in China in 2006.

I was one of the torchbearers for the Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Hefei in 2008. It was unforgettable because my family watched the relay in South Korea in 1988 but didn't get the chance to participate.

In recent years, I have received numerous awards from the Chinese government. The awards and torch are precious to me.