China in the 21st Century

China has been a perennial friend and benefactor of Sri Lanka for as long as one could remember. This enduring friendship is personified in the magnificent Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo, which is the very first purpose built convention centre in Asia.

Built in 1973 in memory of S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike, BMICH was an outright gift from the Government and people of the People’s Republic of China, which cost Rs. 35 million at the time of construction. China and Sri Lanka completed 50 years of friendship and diplomatic relations in 2007 and China is considered a good friend, neighbour and partner of Sri Lanka.

The heart of China extends beyond its boundaries. But it also and glows within. In May 2008, when a powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake toppled buildings, schools and chemical plants in central China, killing about 10,000 people and trapping untold numbers in mounds of concrete, steel and earth in the country’s worst quake in three decades, the entire nation rallied to console and assist their fellow countrymen. The solidarity within the nation was a lesson for the world, bringing a message of endearing love and care for its fallen.

A recent achievement of China was the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which was not only a colossal sporting event and undeniable success but was also a morale booster for a country which had gone through the Opium Wars with Britain in the mid 19th Century and was considered a non entity in the international community for a long time.

Beijing Olympics

The 51 gold medals won by China established itself as a nation of competitors, and the splendour and precision of the ceremonies and the sparkle of the Olympic village and stadiums were a testimony to China’s organizational capability and national unity.

The year 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of new China. Author Y.S. Yow has commented that over these years, and in particular over the past 30 years, spectacular results have been achieved in China owing to the visionary zeal and collective intelligence of the people of China.

The traditional “sick man” of East Asia is now the physician of the World. According to the Economist (and cited by Yow) in 2009, the Gross Domestic Product of China ranks third ($4.8 Trillion) behind the United States and Japan.

The purchase power parity of China, which is $9.1 trillion ranks second next to the United States and well in front of Japan. The Chinese treasury income, which was RMB (Renminbi) 113 billion in 1978 is RMB 6000 billion today. Since 1978, more than 200 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty and the average life expectancy has increased by five years to 73.18. Above all, 83 million Chinese citizens with disabilities have been the recipients of special care from the Government and society.

China now consumes 12 percent of the world’s luxury goods and 35 companies of China were listed in Fortune 500 in 2008 reflecting a robust Chinese commerce system. The ethos of Chinese business is a reflection of its long history and rich culture. Chinese businessmen are generally frank, simple and accommodating in their transactions, particularly in the international arena, constantly seeking “win-win” situations.

Healthy policies

In 2008, when the world economy plunged into a seemingly lasting set back, China weathered it with comparatively minimal results and its double digit annual growth in the GDP reduced minimally to a single digit nine percent growth.

Furthermore, the Government’s ambitious RMB 4 trillion (approximately 400 billion Sterling Pounds) infusion encouraging consumption will be an impetus to the economy and resuscitate it to a healthy level once more.

The fact that China runs a $ 300 billion dollar surplus with the United States and the European Union is also a positive indicator of its staying power in this period of crisis, although the surplus could well diminish as a result of the crisis.

This does not necessarily mean that China is totally unaffected by the global economic downturn. Employment (or unemployment), which is a significant factor in the Chinese economy will be affected and possibly portend some unrest.

The above notwithstanding, Yow predicts that, in the next 30 years China, the Chinese language and culture will go truly global, and Chinese companies will be internationalized, offering contract manufacturing.

Chinese people will be spread across the world and China will rapidly establish itself as a world leader in diplomacy. China’s diplomacy goes back 4,000 years of its civilization. Although the country lagged behind for some years after the Industrial Revolution, it picked up again over the past 60 years, based on such objectives as securing national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintaining world peace, and striving for an international environment favourable to the country’s development.

The principle of the foreign policy of the People’s Republic of China has become the protection of the independence, freedom, integrity of territory and sovereignty of the country, upholding of lasting international peace and friendly cooperation between the peoples of all countries, and opposition to any policy of aggression.

The Constitution enacted in 1982 summarizes the basic principles of China’s foreign policy as the following: “China adheres to an independent foreign policy as well as to the five principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence in developing diplomatic relations and economic and cultural exchanges with other countries; China consistently opposes imperialism, hegemonism and colonialism, works to strengthen unity with the people of other countries, supports the oppressed nations and the developing countries in their just struggle to win and preserve national independence and develop their national economies, and strives to safeguard world peace and promote the cause of human progress.”

In international affairs, China charts its own destiny and adopts policy in the fundamental interests of the people of China and the world and according to the merits of issues concerned.

World peace

China opposes any hegemonic policy and pursues the maintenance of world peace through a foreign policy of peace, and claims it will not go in for any military bloc, arms race or military expansion.

China holds that countries should resolve their disputes and conflicts peacefully through consultation. The Chinese Government has scored great achievements in pursuing its independent foreign policy of peace.

By September 2004, China had established diplomatic relations with 165 countries and consular ties with the principality of Monaco; it had joined 135 inter-governmental organizations in the world, engaged in economic and cultural exchanges with over 220 countries and regions, and established scientific and technological cooperation relations with 152 countries and regions. China now exerts a great influence on and enjoys a highly respectable position in international affairs.

China’s seat in the United Nations and membership of the United Nations Security Council has been occupied since October 25, 1971. The representatives of the Peoples Republic of China first attended the United Nations, including the UN Security Council, as China’s representatives on November 23, 1971.

Diplomatic China

Arguably, China’s rise in the diplomatic world was facilitated by the United States “war on terror” in the following the events of 11 September 2001 which alienated many nations, giving China an opportunity to be one of the nations which filled the void.

The proactive diplomatic approach of Premier Wen Jiabao in visiting several European capitals prior to the G20 Summit in London created a milestone in the annals of Chinese diplomatic history.

This was well timed with the prophetic economic move of Zhou Xiaochan, President of the Chinese Central Bank, who called for the eventual replacement of the United States dollar as the reserve currency of the world by a global currency pinned to the value of gold.

Russia and many developing States have expressed their agreement to this proposal. However, although China’s economy is growing steadily and it has clearly favoured global economic stability, it is not expected that China would sacrifice its own internal resources to bail out the West indefinitely. China follows four basic economic principles which are enshrined in its economic policy, as enunciated by Premier Jiabao at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2009.

They are: that there would be no change to China’s overall economic situation or its stance or pace of sustainable development; there will be no change in China’s economic development which is driven by market demand and its longterm potential and resources; China’s rich but low cost labour force would not change and therefore China’s advantage in economic development will be unchanged, based on its “people first” policy; and peace, cooperation and development in the world still remain priorities in terms of conditions of development.

One of China’s most effective tools of diplomacy is seemingly its Confucian Centres (Hanban) which number over 320 across the world and perform similar tasks as do the British Council, The German Cultural Institute and the Alliance Francaise. Through these centres China has effectively spread its culture and language across the globe and established its strong will to spread good. China’s international image will largely ride on such establishments and its magnanimity towards its own people.

The writer is Acting Deputy Director, Air Transport Bureau of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Canada.