BEIJING - A leading US expert on China studies on Tuesday hailed the achievements made by the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the past 90 years, but said that tackling corruption remained an urgent task for the Party, which marks the 90th anniversary of its founding on July 1.

David Shambaugh, professor and director of the China Policy Program at George Washington University, said the CPC has done much for the Chinese people and China's economic development.

"There would be no (New) China without the CPC," he said, praising the Party's ability to keep pace with the times.

However, the scholar, who has studied China for more than three decades, noted that the Party also faces many challenges.

"The most urgent task for the CPC is to control corruption. The supervision organ of the Party should redouble its efforts in anti-corruption work," he said.

"It is never easy to manage such a large nation," he added.

According to Shambaugh, improving the level of transparency and diplomatic tactics are also challenges for the Party.

"China's involvement in the world today requires that it should be very experienced in international affairs and foreign policy," he said.

He said that the visits overseas by many senior Chinese officials had increased China's global profile.

Shambaugh is currently in Beijing to attend a two-day seminar on the building of the CPC. The seminar was co-sponsored by his university and China Center for Contemporary World Studies.

Wang Jiarui, minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the opening ceremony and gave the keynote speech. Officials from the Party History Research Center of the CPC Central Committee and scholars from the United States, Europe and Singapore also took part.

"It is a unique opportunity, it has never occurred before for foreign scholars to discuss some of China's internal political reforms with the CPC," Shambaugh said.

He said one of the best features of the CPC political system is the cultivation of talents and the good quality of leadership at all levels.

"The Party has put lots of time and effort in recruiting, appraising, promoting, rotating and mid-career training," he said.

According to Shambaugh, a smooth transition of power is also a unique achievement of the CPC.

China Daily