Scholar-official's book addresses China's problems

China is battling its way uphill with no room for retreat, concludes Wang Yongchang, a scholar-official stationed in the fast-growing Zhejiang province for the past decade.

His new book, China Going Uphill, was released by Red Flag Press on Thursday.

"It's a rundown of my observations and judgment of the country's current situation," said Wang, deputy director of the Standing Committee of the Zhejiang People's Congress, at the book launch in Beijing.

"(China) is developing with ever-increasing difficulties, but development is its only way out," the doctor of philosophy said.

The book addresses what Wang considers to be several of the country's biggest problems. These include such things as the widening divide between urban and rural areas, complexity rising from a rapidly aging population and environmental pollution that demands better management.

"All in all, the book relates well the need to grow carefully in the complicated age of today," said Li Jie, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "Wang also introduces governing thoughts from ancient China, which are very good lessons."

"Today's discussion about China is the most important one in the world," said John Ross, senior fellow of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. "Because by 2030, China will become the world's largest and strongest economy, no force outside could stop it."