Chongqing- This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and iChongqing has conducted a series of exclusive interviews with long-standing members of the expatriate population in Chongqing, where they share their own unique experiences and insight into the development and achievements of China in recent years under the leadership of the CPC.

Martin S. is a creative art director and master photographer from Croatia who came to live in Chongqing six years ago. Having traveled the world as a manager on cruise liners, he overcame initial challenges when he first arrived to fondly view the city as his home.

In the space of six years, he has witnessed great developments in the city infrastructure. He has been amazed by the resilience of government and local people when faced with challenges, including the record floods seen in the previous year.

Martin has traveled extensively in China, and the achievements in green agricultural production he has seen in Lanzhou, where the previously barren topography has been developed into vast swathes of arable land, and the water sources are protected thanks to the avoidance of pesticides.

Looking to the future, Martin is hoping for greater involvement in cultural projects by the expatriate community in Chongqing so that different cultures and points of view may find better integration and benefit society in the long term.