"Reform" has been a buzzword in different systems, different countries and different societies in the world since the end of the Cold War. Nonetheless, the perestroika initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union more than 20 years ago, the slogan of "change" called for by US President Barack Obama when he took office almost five years ago, and the "revolution" advocated by street political activists during the Arab Spring can barely be compared with China's decision to adopt the reform and opening-up policy in 1978.

China's smooth development over the past three decades has been an important phenomenon in the world's historical process. Against the backdrop of the international financial crisis, China's reform has gradually taken on far-reaching global influence as well as great theoretical value.

Under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese nation, with a population of more than 1.3 billion, has avoided the fiasco of the Soviet Union, and escaped the catastrophic destiny of political collapse and economic recession triggered by the reform conducted by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the economic shock therapy later on.

China has successfully achieved economic growth and national rejuvenation through evolutionary and effective reforms, keeping a good momentum of development and stability.

Since the breakout of the international financial crisis in 2008, Western countries have been confronted with a wide spectrum of obstacles in their economic systems and social governance models. In contrast, China has attracted the world's attention by displaying unique institutional advantages and governance capacity.

For the past three decades, China's economy has provided enormous power for the world's economic development, and its stable political situation has also affected the overall global architecture.

At present, constrained by populism and a bid for power among political parties, "reforms" on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean are either hard to initiate or mired in plight.

The Affordable Care Act put forward by Obama still hangs in the air due to wrangles between Republicans and Democrats.

Sunk in the quagmire of populism, many European countries find it hard to launch innovative reform plans.

The reform and modernization drive in Russia are estimated to be no more than empty talk owing to a lack of support from resolute technocrats.

In China, the CPC grasps the direction and pace of reform confidently. Former leader Deng Xiaoping pointed out that the success of China's market economic reform lies in the "Four Cardinal Principles," the most important one being the principle of upholding the leadership of the CPC.

More than 20 years later, Francis Fukuyama, a US political scientist and economist, had to admit that "China adapts quickly, making difficult decisions and implementing them effectively… This [Washington's] system has ensured individual liberty and a vibrant private sector, but it has now become polarized and ideologically rigid. It will not be much of a model to anyone if the government is divided against itself and cannot govern."

Nonetheless, China is facing brand-new challenges in its next round of reform that will touch on the interests of every group in society.

Therefore, reformers should take a broad and long-term view, work out a thorough scheme, and tackle various relations in an appropriate way. We are fully convinced that China's reforms will become a classic paragon for other countries in the course of human history.

The author is director of the Institute of Information Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and chief editor of Social Sciences Abroad. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn