China has made remarkable achievements since it adopted the policy of reform and opening-up 30 years ago, and it is a real miracle, a senior Russian scholar said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

China has demonstrated great wisdom and foresight during the establishment and implementation of its reform and opening-up policy, said Eleonora Pivovarova, a China expert with the Far East Institute of the Russian Academy of Science.

The 71-year-old scholar, who has studied China for about half a century and paid three visits to the country, is the author of a number of works, including one named Socialism with Chinese Characteristics.

As a witness to the setbacks in the reform of the former Soviet Union, Pivovarova is deeply impressed by the success of China's reform and opening-up. "China is one of the few countries where smooth transition from planned economy to market economy has been realized."

Although some social welfare, like free access to education, health care and real estate, was cancelled, the living standards of the Chinese have been improved in the past 30 years, Pivovarova noted.

"I have been to various countries for academic exchanges, and also made comparisons among their reforms. The success of China's reform is simply outstanding and amazing."

Pivovarova commended the wisdom reflected by China's reform and opening-up policy. First of all, China concentrates on innovation and spares no effort to ensure the continuity of policies, she said.

Recalling that priority was given to the supply of food and consumer goods, Pivovarova believed the Chinese leadership had evidently sought public support from the very beginning of the reform.

Secondly, the Chinese leaders took the direction of socialism with Chinese characteristics after taking the country's basic facts into consideration, instead of following suit.

Thirdly, unlike the situation in the former Soviet Union, China sees no drastic reform of democratization, but a gradual and tentative transition to market economy, which ensures social and political stability, she added.

Moreover, China always sticks to the principle of defending national interests. The leadership has never neglected macroeconomic control. It enhances macro-control whenever the economic imbalance deteriorates and never loses control over production.

Talking about the future of China's reform, the Russian scholar believed that the prospects are magnificent in view of the experience China has accumulated in recent years.

However, it is also faced with such challenges as social polarization and the income gap between the rich and poor, she pointed out. Pollution is another urgent issue for China to tackle.

China should proceed along the existing path while making fresh attempt cautiously with an aim to attain new achievements, Pivovarova said. Meanwhile, China should expand contact with the outside world, strengthen macro-control over production and pay more attention to environmental protection.

In social fields, the Chinese government should continue to work out ways to protect low-income people, she added.

(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2008)