China's Unstoppable Move to Modernity as a Cultural State

8/14/2019 China's Unstoppable Move to Modernity as a Cultural State

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Op-Ed Contributors

China's unstoppable move tomodernity as a cultural state

By Francis C W Fung (chinadaily.com.cn)Updated: 2010-03-02 09:29

China missed out on the 19th Century industrialization. This time she is movingtowards modernity with determination as a Cultural State. Soon President Obamawill go to Indonesia and Australia for state visits. He will be likely welcomed as areturn of the favorite son and will be told that China's growth is good for Indonesia. InAustralia he will hear that for the first time, a white Anglo-Saxon nation state'scontinuing growth is dependent on China.

In a Feb 1, 2010 PBS Charlie Rose interview, Larry Summers, economic adviser to

President Obama, offered the following summary of his view on the 21st Century.First, the most momentous event in the 21st Century is the rise of the developingworld, not the current financial crises. Second, the most important thing a majornation must do is to empower the growth of the vast middle class. Third, in the 21stCentury we must know how to harmonize with the developing world, most of all withChina.

Above vision seem in all respect a fit description of China's growing momentum asanalyzed in detail by Martin Jacques's book "When China Rules the World". Contraryto the title of the book, Jacques's final conclusion is that China will not rule the world.He believes the rise of China will be the revival of the Chinese culture, and China willresume its heritage of a magnificent civilization as a Cultural State.

Martin Jacques also argued strongly that modernity is not necessarily Westernizationspecifically in reference to China. China is so immense, following her majordeveloped cities and regions, her rural areas still have a lot of room to grow. Jacqueswith in depth analysis to differentiate China from the European Political States alsodefined China as a Cultural State and not a Political State because of her longcivilization. Of interest, Jacques pointed out that China as a Cultural State in herdevelopment will revisit her ancient cultural heritage and rediscover her cultural rootssuch as Confucianism and Daoism and all their teaching of Harmony. Also China inher move towards pluralism will invent her own democracy. This is supported byJohn and Doris Naisbitt, in their 2009 book China's Megatrends. John and Dorisdetailed in their book that a top down and bottom up convergence democracy is

emerging in China that is holding the government accountable.

China's move to modernity is unstoppable despite America's intervention with the socalled Smart Diplomacy. China's growth will benefit not only her but the whole world.Further, China will not challenge America's military hard power rather in soft powerbecause she is a cultural state. Within China as a cultural state various politicalsystems are allowed. That was the terms on which Hong Kong returned to China as


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one country two systems. In the same way the mainland extends her hand to Taiwanfor reconciliation.

China's growth is unstoppable because the momentum she has generated withinand the vast potential she has created for her continuing growth together with theworld. The Western media in its eagerness to be politically correct still writes with

deep rooted Cold War mentality. Is China really a communist state according to ourCold War definition? Will bring back the Cold War work to stop China growth?America took her eyes off the ball because of preoccupation with the Iraq andAfghanistan wars during the last ten years. During that time China achievedunprecedented growth in human history in scale and speed. In the future we have nochoice but to harmonize with China for win-win mutual growth as implied by LarrySummers. Any Smart Diplomacy in criticizing China's Internet management, sellingArms to Taiwan and meeting with Dalai Lama will only demonstrate to thedeveloping world that we are interfering in China's internal affairs. Such is the affinityof the developing world with China as the leading developing nation.

China's growth for our own healthy perspective should be seen as the simultaneous

growth of a massive collection of Chinese regions such as Pearl Delta, YangtzeDelta, Beihai Delta and cities like Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin,Wuhan, Jilin, Xian and even Urumqi among many. Imagine this incredibly largenumber of formidable regions and cities are growing in the tradition of Japan and thefour Asian Tigers with Confucian work ethics? The Chinese government today sansany political agenda, is single mindedly focused on bringing 1.3 billion citizens to thegoal of better life with dignity according to Chinese Premier Wen JiaBao in a recentchat with Chinese net citizens. China is developing with the concept of scientificdevelopment towards a harmonious society. Harmony Renaissance is China'sdevelopment as a cultural state.

There has been heavy criticism by Western media that China's economy grows by

less desirable autocratic capitalism because the West believes modernization meansWesternization. This is our double standard of passing our judgment onto Chinawhen the Chinese move towards modernity is actually very similar to the way thefour Asian Tigers in their move to modernity during the 20th Century. They all followConfucius tradition with heavy borrowing of technology from the West. In China'scase however, her development model consists of a hybrid system of governmentguiding both State and private industries according to Martin Jacques. This Chineseinnovation and success is remarkable due to the ability of the State ownedenterprises can also go public and raise private capital and the private industries attimes also get federal funding. This two way flexibility is what turned around thefailing Chinese State Owned Enterprises and helped many private industries to

flourish. This flexibility is what Deng Xiaoping called "Crossing the River by Feelingthe Stones" and is quite a stroke of Chinese genius.

China is not a political nation state. She is a cultural state. She goes through allmeasures to prove non interference in other nation's politics. She has neitherpolitical agenda nor a development model to enforce on others. This is what makesher attractive to developing nations as a partner. China has 5,000 years of culturaltradition and preeminence. Her ancient cultural influence was extended mostlythrough harmony rather than outright conquest. A long lasting continuous culture like


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China's cannot be subject to broad criticism from a young dynamic country such asAmerica without America appearing rude and hubris to other developing ancientcultures.

China development in harmony with Asian, African and developing nations of theworld is particularly worth mentioning. Today China is the largest investor in Asia and

Africa according to Martin Jacques. China's labor and technical teams are also busyworking to build badly needed infrastructure in Africa. China's complementarydevelopment and affinity with the developing world will thus continue to grow with therise of the developing world during the 21st Century. This move towards worldharmony and mutual development is totally unstoppable.

The author is the General Director of World Harmony Organization. The opinionsexpressed are his own.

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China's Unstoppable Move to Modernity as a Cultural State