Is China still a developing nation? No doubt

China has achieved rapid economic development in the past 20 years and has been playing an increasingly significant role on the world stage. This has sparked a debate on whether China is still a developing country.

Gao Qiufu, senior reporter of Xinhua News Agency and an expert in international studies, addressed this issue at a seminar, "Perspectives on Hot World Issues" hosted by Xinhuanet recently. China is still a developing country and will remain so for decades to come, Gao said.

Some people in the West say China has already become the engine pulling the world economy out of the mire of the global economic crisis. Many books, including Martin Jacques' When China Rules the World, have been written about the prospects of China becoming a superpower. A recent report describes China as the "second largest military power in the world". There have also been discussions over China and the US ruling the world together. But Gao said such statements are "pure exaggerations".