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The last word on China: Hope By
Leon D'souza
In a few hours from the time of this writing, China will be a memory. I am filled with sadness as I pen this final column from the land of the Great Wall. In the five months that I have spent here, China has become as familiar as home. Now, the time has come to leave behind the lush green fields, the mighty mountains, the high-risers, the snazzy automobiles, the lively and persuasive salespeople, and the din and bustle of everyday life in Chinese cities. These five months have allowed me to gain an insight into what life is truly like for the average citizen of one of the world's last surviving communist bastions and its most populous country. To summarize my observations: life in China is not very different from life in other countries in the developing world. The nation does have its problems, some of which are age-old and might prove difficult to fix, but China is not the backward nation of oppressed masses that lives in the shadow of the Chinese Communist Party. The CCP is a behemoth institution, and its influence on the life of the Chinese must not be underemphasized; however, it is not always the fire-breathing dragon that the Western world makes it out to be. True, the CCP does react with hostility when its authority is questioned, but this is only because the party desires social and political stability while it concentrates its efforts on transforming China into an economic powerhouse -- by no means an easy task. Jiang Zemin's China is different from Mao Zedong's China in many ways. Modern China is fast becoming a force to reckon with in the global economy of the 21st century. The CCP is working feverishly to lift the Chinese masses above mediocrity. Consider some recent economic developments. Telecommunications Motorola, the international telecom giant, recently announced plans to explore China's broadband access market by utilizing the country's existing cable TV network to provide broadband Internet services. According to Chang Jian of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, China is one of the world's largest cable TV markets with its subscribers representing a third of the world's total. Medicine More than 60 Chinese and foreign companies, mostly from Germany and Japan, have invested a total of $410 million in the development of a "Medicine Valley" similar to California's Silicon Valley in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone. Balance of Payments and Foreign Investment Riding on the back of strong export growth, China recorded a surplus of $20.5 billion on the current account. China's pending entry into the World Trade Organization has triggered a tidal wave of foreign direct investment that has helped the country to post a surplus of $1.9 billion on the capital and financial account. The surplus will fuel the growth of China's foreign exchange reserves and reinforce the stability of the Reminbi Yuan. Socialism in Modern China Despite the strong current of capitalism underlying everyday life in China today, moderate socialism is still alive in some government policies. For example, China's drug pricing authority, the State Development Planning Commission, recently ordered a circular slashing of prices of 69 of the most frequently used antibiotics by 20 percent on average. The cuts are intended to curb rocketing drug prices, a trend that has aroused public ire. As a result of the cuts, consumers will be able to save a whopping $241 million annually. China's Future While I am bullish about China's advancement in years to follow, there are important political questions that the country will have to deal with expeditiously and cautiously in order to truly realize its potential as an innovative and competitive nation. To benefit from globalization, China will have to play ball with the West. The United States, in particular, can be an important ally. Sino-U.S. relations have nosedived since former President Bill Clinton handed over the White House to Republican George W. Bush in January. It is imperative for both sides to approach existing disputes in the spirit of compromise. China must work to resolve political quandaries -- Taiwan and Tibet among others -- that cause the nation to incur the hot displeasure of the West. Beijing and Washington must work together to build bridges -- political, economic, and cultural -- and break down the barrier of mutual distrust that impedes full-fledged cooperation between one of the world's most powerful economic forces and its largest consumer market. As modern China continues its relentless economic march, I am confident that this nation will realize its dreams. However, a climate of tolerance and compromise is essential for economic prosperity. The government of the day must work toward developing a democratic culture of tolerance, moderation, and willingness to compromise, providing additional channels for interest representation and generating democratic constituencies for market reforms. These actions will, in the end, strengthen the state by enhancing its accountability and responsiveness. That said, I leave China with a sense of optimism and hope.
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