From the Readers

China possesses important strengths to build on

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-05-21 14:27

Comment on "How to boost China's peaceful rise" (China Daily, May 18)

Options and perils are aplenty. There is no need to rush or to be too engrossed in a country's stature in the world. This may blind a country from what is essential.

The core thing to do is to stay conscious, sober and do the right things.

A country does not become strong by default of others weakening. A country becomes strong by making tangible conscious efforts to strengthen itself fundamentally - that means changing and evolving for the better as one moves forward regardless of what happens to others. Nothing will stay permanent, if progress is to be attained.

One important hallmark of achievement is not how much money you have but how others listen when you speak. Of course China needs money for its poor and China has to continue to progress economically to feed its people, but a monetary yardstick is not the sole measurement for progress. China has to create and refine the Chinese culture, literature, arts & crafts, product and technology innovation, etc. Until China creates things of good value - humanistic values, social values, product values, and brings progress to mankind, it cannot claim to have really progressed.

Two important assets China possesses are its people and its land. How China harnesses the power of these two elements is important.

On people, if all the people dwelling in China are of capable middle class and above by international standards, say, maybe with an evenly distributed GDP per capita of $18,000, China will possess immense economic strength. As the world opens up, China ought not to see China as just for the Chinese, it has to learn to absorb good people from other races without losing its culture. Why should China not attract good Russians, Ukrainians, Polish, Indians or East Asians (Asean, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand)? Mandarin can flourish only if foreigners are willing to stay in China. With a huge population and a willingness to accept foreign talents, China ought to waste no time in acquiring and harnessing the necessary knowledge to produce new high technology products.

On land, China has a huge strategic piece of land. But only 14% of it is arable, and maybe a substantial portion of this has already been subjected to urban development. This is a weakness. What would be the outcome if China can convert its arable land to 65%, creating new forest and agriculture land, maybe out of some presently unusable land. China has about 135 people per square kilometer. This is higher than most countries, but this number makes it easier for China to maintain its land as cost per square kilometer can be easily met if China operates at maximum or 80% full capacity. Moreover, China is strategically located, with Europe to its west, US to its east and a huge block of East Asian nations and India to its south. The only challenge is having to pass through the Indian Ocean to Africa, but this can be overcome if both Pakistan and India permit China to establish transport links from their ports to China's south.

The one thing necessary to realize all these advantages is the system. The only question is, has China installed a system capable of realizing its strength?

Develop on China Daily website.