by Maria Spiliopoulou, Yu Shuaishuai

ATHENS, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's development over the past four decades is bringing opportunities to the world, said a Greek scholar on Tuesday.

China held a grand gathering Tuesday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the country's reform and opening-up. Addressing the meeting, President Xi Jinping described the reform and opening-up as "a great revolution in the history of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation."

"China's opening-up and reform process is creating opportunities not only for Chinese people themselves, but also for foreign countries," Dr. George N. Tzogopoulos, a senior research fellow at the Center International de Formation Europeenne (CIFE), told Xinhua.

Through this process, foreign companies can invest more in China, while China is interested in importing more products from abroad, Tzogopoulos said.

The Belt and Road Initiative launched by President Xi in 2013 is an inclusive project, and should not be regarded as a one-way road, the scholar noted.

"Chinese investments contribute to connectivity, can provisionally support growth and offer win-win results which are practically seen by local communities," Tzogopoulos said.

Speaking of Xi's vision on prosperity, Tzogopoulos highlighted China's herculean task to slash poverty.

"The approach of the country can offer useful lessons. What is very interesting for me is that the Chinese government does not find it sufficient to financially support some poor regions only, but to control where public money is going in order to prevent corruption cases and link the absorption of funds with the long-term sustainability of some projects," he said.

"The experience can be also shared in the West," the scholar added.

In today's turbulent times, Beijing's steady, strong commitment to peace and multilateralism also impressed Tzogopoulos.

"China's development goes hand in hand with the preservation of peace and the adherence to principles such as multilateralism," he said.

Tzogopoulos also hailed China's key role in efforts to protect the environment.

Beyond developments at the national level, China is also acting responsibly in the world arena, and its role in keeping the 2015 Paris climate accord alive, following the withdrawal of the United States, is characteristic, he added.

Coming from a country with rich history and civilization as well, the Greek scholar also focused on the significance of strengthening understanding and cooperation worldwide through cultural exchanges.

"The more China is growing, the more people across the globe are interested in knowing more about it," he said.