The 19th Communist Party of China National Congress will convene in Beijing on Oct 18. The Congress will review the Party's work over the past five years, discuss and set the future direction for the Party and the nation, as well as elect a new central leadership.

As all eyes are on the upcoming Congress, let's take a look at what international media said about the developments and achievements of China.

China-made vehicles await exports at the port of Lianyungang in East China's Jiangsu province, on Oct 13, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Economic resilience

China's exports grew 8.1% in September from a year ago, the General Administration of Customs said Friday.

The improvement in exports has been a significant factor in China's stronger-than-expected economic growth in the first half of 2017, a reversal of their role as a drag on expansion in the previous two years.

Imports climbed 18.7% in September, beating forecasts and the previous month's 13.3% gain. The continued strength in the country's imports is welcome news globally, with many economies, especially in Asia, heavily reliant on Chinese demand.

The International Monetary Fund has raised its forecast for several Asian economies this year to reflect its more upbeat view of global demand and China's unexpected resilience.

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Fox Business:China Exports Rose for Seventh Straight Month in September (Oct 13, 2017)

The bright blue sky in Yuncheng city, Shanxi province, on May 19, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Environmental governance

Shanxi has already promised to put its municipal governments under more pressure to meet pollution targets, saying city mayors and top Communist Party officials will be held fully accountable if air quality in the province declines this winter.

The province is one of six northern regions included in an intensive campaign to reduce smog this winter.

In a groundbreaking policy document published in 2013, China pledged to reduce PM2.5 by more than 25 percent in the heavily polluted region of Beijing-Hebei-Tianjin.

It also vowed to bring PM2.5 concentrations down to 60 micrograms per cubic meter in the Chinese capital.

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Reuters:China's top coal province pledges 40 percent smog cut over winter (Oct 12, 2017)

To address the issue, China's sponge city initiative has an ambitious goal: by 2020, 80 percent of urban areas should absorb and re-use at least 70 percent of rainwater.

Launched in 2015 in 16 cities, the initiative seeks to reduce the intensity of rainwater runoff by enhancing and distributing absorption capacities more evenly across targeted areas. The resulting groundwater replenishment increases availability of water for various uses. This approach not only reduces flooding but also enhances water supply security.

The initiative is similar to the North American concept of low-impact development, which according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency mimics natural processes in order to protect water quality.

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CNN:China's 'sponge cities' aim to re-use 70% of rainwater (Sept 18, 2017)

China's peacekeeping officers to Darfur, Sudan, are awarded United Nations Peace Medals of Honor in Nyala, Sudan, on Oct 10, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Peacekeeping efforts

Beijing first sent troops into a combat zone in 2013, dispatching peacekeepers to Mali, and in 2015 sent troops to South Sudan, where part of the mission is to guard oil installations, some of which are Chinese invested. Three Chinese warships have joined the international naval flotilla battling piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

China supplies 2,322 troops to UN peacekeeping efforts worldwide -- by far the most of any UN security council member -- and has pledged 8,000 for a fast-response force. The US has just 42 troops but fronts the largest share of the UN peacekeeping budget -- although US President Donald Trump wants to cut that by half.

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CNN:A global military player (May 12, 2017)