After the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949, China initially focused on political reforms only. The goal was to unite the nation on a communist or socialist platform. Previously, Chinese society was addicted to opium and divided into factions and groups, lacked strong government, and languished under corrupt and incompetent political leadership.
Chairman Mao Zedong morally changed the nation and united the Chinese as one nation. It was first stage of modern Chinese history, from 1949-1978, an era of political reforms only.
However, China suffered from famine and other disasters. The economy was near to collapse, and the country suffered isolation. China was very conservative country during that period and closed to the rest of world. No one outside China knew exactly was happening inside China.
But in 1978, China launched a policy of reform and opening-up toward the rest of world, and has made remarkable achievements since then. From suffering food shortages, the country has turned into a food-exporting nation.
Today China is the second-largest economy in the world, just after the US. China has emerged as a global power. Around 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty.
In just four decades, the country has achieved much development. It is a unique example in the history of the world. During those 40 years, the West was in full support of developing China and extending all possible facilitation. China still enjoys an enabling international environment to develop rapidly.
However, in coming days, China may face an uphill task to maintain the same tempo of development. The West may create hurdles and try to curtail China.
President Xi Jinping in an address on December 18 said, “Bearing in mind China’s internal and international imperatives, we have stayed committed to the fundamental national policy of opening-up, followed a proactive approach to opening up, and entered a new stage of comprehensive, multi-level and wide-ranging opening-up, thus creating a sound international environment and broader development space for China.”
It is obvious that China is firmly committed to maintaining the continuation of its reform and opening-up policy. I was a student in China in 1980s and a witness to the initial stage of reforms and opening-up. I have seen the food coupons and rationing of daily consumer items. Queues for purchase of commodities was due to a gap between supply and demand.
I was also in China from 2010 to 2016 as a diplomat and witnessed the abundance of food and consumer goods. Not only locally made products, but the market was full of imported products from almost all over the world.
Smiling faces of common citizens reflect their satisfaction with their economic situation. People are traveling inside China and overseas during their vacations and festivals. Streets that were once full of bicycles have turned into traffic jams due to the large number of cars.
China has made huge progress in its educational sector too. More of its institutions have joined the prestigious club of “Top 500 Universities of the World” in the last 20 years and this number is growing rapidly. The quality of education is attracting foreign students from all corners of the world.
China has become a leader in high-speed trains and massive infrastructure. China’s achievements in information technology and telecommunication have surpassed many other countries. With the launch of 5G (fifth-generation wireless technology), China is expected to leave the world behind in this sector. China’s progress in health care is admirable. Agriculture was a main thrust area of reform and opening-up. Defense has also witnessed major advancements.
The judicial and legal systems have improved and been standardized. Human rights have improved. The entertainment industry is flourishing. China has built the world’s largest social-security system, with the basic old-age pension covering more than 900 million people and medical insurance covering more than 1.3 billion.
Above all, China has maintained its social stability over a long period, providing among the greatest senses of safety in the world, while much of the rest of the world is facing severe challenges of terrorism, extremism and instability.
In addition, hard work of the Chinese people and enabling reforms and opening-up policies have made China a geopolitical power. China is a balancing power in world affairs. There was a time when countries could unilaterally decide to destroy any country without any resistance from any other nation of the world, such as was seen in Iraq and Libya. But now the world has become multipolar.
China is a successful model for development and a role model for the rest of the world, especially for developing countries. Luckily, China is willing to share its experiences and willing to extend its support to others. In fact, China has offered bright prospects for other developing countries as they strive for modernization, representing a great contribution of the Chinese nation to the progress of human civilization.
China has launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a model for the world to promote connectivity, peace, harmony and prosperity in the future.
China has emerged as balancing power in the geopolitics and is bringing hope for many nations. China understands its global responsibilities and is fulfilling its obligations; whether concerning the environment, or the global economy, or global peace or politics, China’s positive role is always admired.
The world acknowledges China’s achievements and values them highly. Most developing countries are trying to follow the Chinese model of development. Pakistan, being the closest friend of China, and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being the flagship project of the BRI, must learn from Chinese experience and develop on a fast track. Chinese assistance is the catalyst for Pakistan in its journey to an economic takeoff.
Great article. Thank you . So refreshing a break from the usual China bashing articles seen in this paper.
Great article. Thank you . So refreshing a break from the usual China bashing articles seen in this paper.
The article is fair, not sided to any political favour. There are more details that Aamir Awan can let the outsiders know about China. Many successful improvements that can even be compared with those that the Western could not catch up, such as many social wellfare policies, equal jobs equal pay for men and wemen, manternity leavy policy, improvements of the poor areas and what not. I took a Canadian Government Officer to visit An Kang in Shanxi Province. He honestly said, "no way that the Western country could do it". To be honest, I do not see any threat that China will bring to the world as claimed by US. Chinese are not a trouble makerw as it is not permitted in its culture, nor in its education system for personal development. I strongly believe there is a lack of understanding or a lot of misunderstanding about China and the Chinese people by the West.
The article is fair, not sided to any political favour. There are more details that Aamir Awan can let the outsiders know about China. Many successful improvements that can even be compared with those that the Western could not catch up, such as many social wellfare policies, equal jobs equal pay for men and wemen, manternity leavy policy, improvements of the poor areas and what not. I took a Canadian Government Officer to visit An Kang in Shanxi Province. He honestly said, "no way that the Western country could do it". To be honest, I do not see any threat that China will bring to the world as claimed by US. Chinese are not a trouble makerw as it is not permitted in its culture, nor in its education system for personal development. I strongly believe there is a lack of understanding or a lot of misunderstanding about China and the Chinese people by the West.
Thanks a lot. Appreciate your support and encouragement.
Thanks a lot. Appreciate your support and encouragement.
Absolutely right. I endorse your point of view. I lived in China for long time , but still feel I understand China a little. China a big country and rich in culture. No foreigner can claim to be expert on China. Social welfare in China is much better than any western country. True, Chinese culture and education is not to harm any one else. There is no threat to any country in the world from China, it is their own wrong policies, which may harm them.
Absolutely right. I endorse your point of view. I lived in China for long time , but still feel I understand China a little. China a big country and rich in culture. No foreigner can claim to be expert on China. Social welfare in China is much better than any western country. True, Chinese culture and education is not to harm any one else. There is no threat to any country in the world from China, it is their own wrong policies, which may harm them.
Well done Zamir. You are a true Asian writing with balance and impartiality.
Well done Zamir. You are a true Asian writing with balance and impartiality.
ZA: Greetings from USA
In nominal terms China may still be the 2nd largest economy in the world, but in PPP China already became the largest one a few years ago. From a poor 3rd world nation at its inception in 1949 she has today entered the middle income stage.
On many measures it equals, and will soon surpass the West in near future. For developing nations China presents itself a model to be emulated. Should Paks ape China? Will they?
But all the above measures are “Western” measures. China, like India, decided to pay the same price in last 40 years that the West has been paying over past 3 centuries. I doubt if Paks will pay that price.
The fundamental question of Existence is Survival, Growth, Evolution. China more than India is concentrating on improving Survival (standard of living) at the expense of future Growth and Evolution.
In every social sector except political China has taken a decision to ape the West – dress, food, values. That has led to broken families, junk food, excessive inebriation, loose sexual mores, pollution, Hollywood type entertainment. Despite their penchant for the new Cricket playing PM, the Pak main street has neither the stomach nor desire to make these sacrifices.
Let Paks learn from the China experience of last 70 years (first European socialism then European Capitalism) and build their own development model that eschews Western measures and does not neglect Growth and Evolution at the expense of Survival at a higher level.
ZA: Greetings from USA
In nominal terms China may still be the 2nd largest economy in the world, but in PPP China already became the largest one a few years ago. From a poor 3rd world nation at its inception in 1949 she has today entered the middle income stage.
On many measures it equals, and will soon surpass the West in near future. For developing nations China presents itself a model to be emulated. Should Paks ape China? Will they?
But all the above measures are “Western” measures. China, like India, decided to pay the same price in last 40 years that the West has been paying over past 3 centuries. I doubt if Paks will pay that price.
The fundamental question of Existence is Survival, Growth, Evolution. China more than India is concentrating on improving Survival (standard of living) at the expense of future Growth and Evolution.
In every social sector except political China has taken a decision to ape the West – dress, food, values. That has led to broken families, junk food, excessive inebriation, loose sexual mores, pollution, Hollywood type entertainment. Despite their penchant for the new Cricket playing PM, the Pak main street has neither the stomach nor desire to make these sacrifices.
Let Paks learn from the China experience of last 70 years (first European socialism then European Capitalism) and build their own development model that eschews Western measures and does not neglect Growth and Evolution at the expense of Survival at a higher level.
China is trying to excel the West and trying to become more Western than the West itself. But in the process it is setting aside its Asian-ness.
In the end China at best can expect to become a cheap model of the West, with all the West’s ailments. China should extoll its past – food, dress, values, and develop its own model and not try to outdo the West in quantifiable measures – production, income, consumption.
It required the West to colonize the world to attain a wasteful lifestyle that the West can no longer sustain. China has neither the capability nor the skills to colonize the world. The world can not afford another 1.5 billion people living the lifestyle of 800 million Westerners. China must learn to be China – frugal, family oriented, peaceful.
China is trying to excel the West and trying to become more Western than the West itself. But in the process it is setting aside its Asian-ness.
In the end China at best can expect to become a cheap model of the West, with all the West’s ailments. China should extoll its past – food, dress, values, and develop its own model and not try to outdo the West in quantifiable measures – production, income, consumption.
It required the West to colonize the world to attain a wasteful lifestyle that the West can no longer sustain. China has neither the capability nor the skills to colonize the world. The world can not afford another 1.5 billion people living the lifestyle of 800 million Westerners. China must learn to be China – frugal, family oriented, peaceful.
ZA: Also see my comment on Pepe Escobar’s piece "On the road in the Karakoram"
ZA: Also see my comment on Pepe Escobar’s piece "On the road in the Karakoram"
Syed Fazal Abbas : China has its own rich culture and traditions, spreads over several centuries. Needs to stick to its own civilization too.
Syed Fazal Abbas : China has its own rich culture and traditions, spreads over several centuries. Needs to stick to its own civilization too.
Thank you. I need support and encouragement from all my friends like you. Warm Regards.
Thank you. I need support and encouragement from all my friends like you. Warm Regards.
Pakistan has its own dimensions – Islamic and traditionals. Pakistan may stick to its Islamic and traditional values at the same time may learn Science, Technology and Inniovation from West or China. Any thing not contradictory to Islam, we may opt easily. No harm in learning good things from any where. " Knowledge is lost inheritance of a muslim, pick where ever whenever you found"
Pakistan has its own dimensions – Islamic and traditionals. Pakistan may stick to its Islamic and traditional values at the same time may learn Science, Technology and Inniovation from West or China. Any thing not contradictory to Islam, we may opt easily. No harm in learning good things from any where. " Knowledge is lost inheritance of a muslim, pick where ever whenever you found"
wondelful
wondelful