Look, how they grew up in China

Editor's note: Xin Ping is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for Xinhua News, Global Times, China Daily, CGTN, etc. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

If you are a diving fan, you must have heard of Quan Hongchan, the young diving genius from China who just won gold in the women's 10-meter synchronized event at the World Aquatics Championships Fukuoka 2023 together with her partner Chen Yuxi. At the age of 16, Quan impressed diving fans again with her marvelous performance at Fukuoka, just like what she did two years ago at the Tokyo Olympics. Her dive was almost splashless.

Quan is surely born with a talent in diving. She was born in a small village in southern China but appeared on her coach's radar at a very young age. Inspired by many Chinese Olympic diving champions, Quan dreamed of competing and winning at the most prestigious world competitions. Her love of diving, her perseverance in training, and the many people who supported her helped Quan hone her talent into excellence. From the sports school in her hometown to the local professional diving team, then to the national team, Quan was able to get better coaching and made a splash in the world of diving.

Quan's journey toward championships not only tells the success story of a sports genius, but also showcases the respect for talents in China and how China puts in place necessary institutions to help gifted people realize their potential. Here in China, people like Quan are empowered to grow from a young talent to a world champion, to turn her dream into reality.

The dream to roam in space could also come true in China as long as you work hard enough for it. Gui Haichao, one of the team members of China's Shenzhou-16 manned space mission, is a good example. The 36-year-old payload specialist had been preparing himself for a space mission throughout his career, with the belief that if he works hard enough and never give up, one day he would be able to carry out his favorite research in China's space station. 

Coming from an ordinary family, Gui enjoyed equal opportunity to succeed like everyone else. With the fast development of his hometown, a once impoverished county in Yunnan Province, Gui was able to access good education and information on cutting-edge technologies, same as those living in big cities. The rapid progress of China's space program not only made the first Chinese taikonaut Yang Liwei his idol, but also opened the possibility for Gui himself to join one of the crews that would work in China's own space station. Whatever your background may be, in China, you have an equal chance to succeed if you are prepared when the opportunity comes.

Some may call Quan and Gui the lucky ones, since life seems to be generous with them. But for those "not so lucky" ones, being born in China could still mean a promising future for them.

Take a look at this young man Lang Zheng, who got outstanding scores in the latest National College Entrance Examination and received offers from top universities in China. People recognized Lang immediately after seeing him in the news — he was the "saluting boy" who got known by the whole country in the devastating 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Only 3 years old back then, Lang was rescued from the rubble after being buried for more than 20 hours with his left arm injured. Lying on a makeshift "stretcher" made of wooden planks, smiling, he raised his right arm and saluted to rescuers of the People's Liberation Army who were carrying him.

No doubt the earthquake was a big shock for Lang's childhood, but he was not alone. Life was quickly back on track for him thanks to the care and help from kind people across the country.

Lang was not an isolated case. Aid that came from every corner of the country to help victims of that terrible disaster rebuilt their lives. Other provinces were paired with quake-hit cities and towns to support their reconstruction. With the strength and love they got from people around China, Lang and many other youngsters who endured the earthquake looked to the bright side of life and strove to write their own success stories.

Maybe that is why Lang wishes to become a civil servant in the future, as he mentioned, to serve others and live up to the expectations of people who cared for and supported him.

The stories of Quan, Gui and Lang are somewhat typical. They are examples of how the right to realize one's true potential is guaranteed for every person in China. In this country with a huge population of 1.4 billion, no one would be left behind or deprived of his or her rights. With strong and continuous efforts to protect and to promote human rights, now all hardworking people in China are empowered to become who they want to be and to make a difference.

From the right to subsistence to the right to development, from the right to equal opportunity to the freedom to fulfill one's dream, human rights are more than just high-sounding conventional words. They are what the people of a country witness and feel every day. Nor should human rights be used as a pretext to sling mud at other countries, especially when the vast majority of people in these countries are enjoying a happy life that's full of hope. The stories of Quan, Gui and Lang are the best proof.

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