Plans display nation's widening vision

Editor's note: The Communist Party of China will hold its 19th National Congress on Oct 18. In the runup to the meeting, China Daily asked a foreign secretary and Beijing-based ambassadors for views on the event and what will be of particular interest to them.

Ettore Francesco Sequi, the Italian ambassador to China since 2015, said he often shows visiting Italian guests how to pay for goods and services with WeChat and Alipay. He views the development of online payment technology as part of what he calls the "digital transformation", which he said is the most impressive aspect of China's change over the past five years.

"I'd say the major strength of China is definitely the capacity to change, the flexibility to change," he said.