Though it was directed to the 6,000 plus people in the audience, President Hu Jintao's speech last week at the Great Hall of the People was intended for a national audience. The President was speaking about the 30 year anniversary of the Reform and Opening Up movement, talking about the changes that have taken place here in China and what we can expect to see as far is change is concerned in the future. President Hu Jintao also outlined his expectations as far as China's development timeline is concerned, saying this country should become a well-off society by 2021 and will become fully modern by the mid-century mark. So what will have to be done to achieve those targets?

Ni hao, you're listening to  People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International. In this edition of the show we'll be discussing the future of reform here in China. So let's get started.

(Music)

First we'll hear from a leading Chinese expert. Victor Gao is the Director of the China National Association of International Studies.

(Dialogue with Gao)

We're going to take a short break and hear from two more experts on China's future of reform.

(Promo)

Ni hao, you're listening to  People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International. I'm Paul James in Beijing. In this edition of the show we're discussing President Hu Jintao's speech last week in the Great Hall of the People which talked about the 30 year anniversary of Reform and Opening Up and China's future plans for further reform. For more on this we're joined on the line now from the United States by Professor Yang Dali with the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago.

(Dialogue with Yang)

And finally let's her from a foreign expert. Professor David Zweig is the Chair of the Department of Social Science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

(Dialogue with Zweig)

And with that we wrap up this edition of People In the Know, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International. While President Hu Jintao's speech last week did laud China for its efforts over the last 30 years, it was also clear that the President is very keen to ensure that China's growth will remain steady. Questions or comments for us can be sent to people@cri.com.cn. For Executive Director Zhao Yang and Producers Chen Mo and Xu Yang, I'm Paul James in Beijing. Enjoy the day.