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Look east, for China is the face of tomorrow
Comment
Debbie Menon
Years ago, I used to be a voracious reader of science fiction. That
was long before most of the technology we use today was developed,
yet it was all there in the Sci-Fi world.
One of the critical issues with literature, Sci-Fi or otherwise, is
the degree of accuracy with which it presents its characteristics of
its heroes as humans warts, virtues and all or biased to make the
story more saleable. Sci-fi, with all of its fantasy, and incredible
technology (for that era) generally held true to human nature.
Although the heroes flew about in, and carried things in their
holsters we had not yet dreamt of, they were good, bad, frightened,
unsure, brave, foolish, fallible and as fragile humans as we are.
Many Sci-Fi writers present a picture of a new future world order in
which they staged their epics. A great many of them proposed a
world, and outer space, dominated by Asians... basically Chinese,
but Asians in general, whose scientific, economic, political and
educational development had overwhelmed the rest of the world. In
other words, when Earth had finally broken the barriers of space and
earthlings vacationed, worked, warred, exploited and asserted
themselves into the farthest reaches of the universe; Asians led the
movement, in all fields, both on earth and in space.
If such seers were so accurate in describing space ships, energy
beams, electronics, and so many of the gadgets which we accept today
as commonplace, why then should we scorn or ignore their
sociological outlook and “prophecy?”
I do not like the way Newsweek columnist, Fareed Zakaria writes, or
the things he usually writes about, but his recent article, Does the
Future Belong to China?, is right on the money to me.
He writes: “When historians look back at the last decades of the
20th century, they might well point to 1979 as a watershed. That
year the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, digging its grave as a
superpower. It was also the year that China began its economic
reforms. They were launched at a most unlikely gathering, the Third
Plenum of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of
China, held in December 1978. Before the formal meetings, at a
working-group session, the newly empowered party boss, Deng
Xiaoping, gave a speech that turned out to be the most important one
in modern Chinese history. He urged that the regime focus on
development and modernisation, and let facts — not ideology — guide
its path. “It doesn’t matter if it is a black cat or a white cat,”
Deng often said. “As long as it can catch mice, it’s a good cat.”
Since then, China has done just that, pursued a modernisation path
that is ruthlessly pragmatic and non-ideological. The results have
been astonishing. China has grown around 9 per cent a year for more
than 25 years, the fastest growth rate for a major economy in
recorded history. In that same period it has moved 300 million
people out of poverty and quadrupled the average Chinese person’s
income. And all this has happened, so far, without catastrophic
social upheavals.
The Chinese leadership has to be given credit for this historic
achievement. There are many who criticise China’s economic path.
They argue that the numbers are fudged, that corruption is rampant,
that its banks are teetering on the edge, that regional tensions
will explode, that inequality is rising dangerously and that things
are coming to a head. For a decade now they have been predicting,
“This cannot last, China will crash, it cannot keep this up.” So far
at least, none of these prognoses has come true.
And while China has many problems, it also has something any Third
World country would kill for—consistently high growth.” We are
living in changing times, and the times are changing at an
exponential rate! With the sheer numbers he cites in his article he
spells out the inevitability of this World power, Sooperpower,
snooper power, a rose by any other name....we could deny their
existence, and say whatever we like, but whenever an elephant moves
into your tent he sooner or later, will make his presence felt to a
degree which becomes hard to ignore. Eventually he, like the Arab’s
camel, will own the tent.
The various reforms which occurred under Deng were hardly bloodless,
and might be regarded by many who did not survive them as the
equivalent of war, civil or otherwise.
China has not engaged the rest of the world in military
confrontation, colonialist adventur ism and wars while establishing
itself on the world stage. Perhaps they have learned something from
Western history (or the failures of), or the teachings of Confucius.
I suspect the latter, for they have not done very well when
practising the forceful and brutal ways of the West. They are on a
roll, and it looks like they will get there, and probably stay
there, for some time to come. Latin was once the language of
knowledge in the world. German the language of science and
technology; French the language of diplomacy; English the language
of business, commerce and power.
Today, in most Asian schools, the main Chinese dialects are the
languages scholars and leaders of the future are encouraged to
study. The rest of the world, China particularly, will study
English, and American English, for the same reason many Americans
study Spanish, to facilitate communications with a major
non-dominant language speaking consumer/labour sector of the culture
in which they live. They are almost there. I can see the light of
the Red Rooster entering the other end of the tunnel now. Stand
aside if you do not want to be run down by her as she flashes on
through. Ignore her at your own peril. It is the future.
The Renminbi will, eventually, replace the dollar and the Euro as
the standard of world currency! As Zakaria says: “They know how to
apply themselves.”
—Khaleej Times
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