What has transpired in China over its 5,000-year history is mind boggling. The last thirty years have been both remarkable and universally acknowledged.
There once was a time when what happened in China had minimal impact on our lives in America. Those days are gone. Now what happens in China no longer just stays in China. We will continue to feel the ripple effects of the China tsunami wave of change that will continue to wash upon our shores as the 21st century unfolds. How we adapt to and lead these changes will help define our destiny.
As large and powerful as China is, few in America know much about the country — its history, customs, geography, language, politics or people. This needs to change.
China punctured America’s consciousness in many ways the past few years begin with the spellbinding Olympics in 2008 and surpassing German and Japan to become the second largest world economy with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently projecting that it will be the largest economy in the world in five years’ time, surpassing the US.
I am far from a China expert, or “Old China Hand.” However, I love the Chinese culture and people and have read and traveled in China enough to know more than the average Westerner. My hope is we can build on what China’s President Hu Jintao calls a “harmonious” relationship with China while staying true to our ideals as a nation. This will become increasing more difficult, as China flexes its new found military and economic might.
With a 5,000-year history, China is a kaleidoscope of complexity and change. Many older Americans remember learning about China as a backward, communist county, with our parents imploring us to “eat your peas — kids are starving in China.” That was before China simultaneously modernized and opened to the world. Today, some would argue China is eating our lunch.
We are living through disruptive, transformational, unpredictable, technologically-driven global change. A time when ideas and jobs, can and do move around the globe effortlessly. China and the United States are the major players. Some argue the 20th century belonged to America and the 21st century will ultimately be led by China. I do not know if their arguments will withstand the test of time. However, I do know that our destinies are linked and we must find ways to live, work and solve problems together or we will surely fall together.
I have traveled throughout China numerous times since 1989, to cities many have heard of such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Lasha, Tibet, and others less familiar such as Beichuan, Bengbu, Changchun, Mianyang, Turpan, Urumqi, and Wuhan. During my travels I have seen the ultramodern as well as scenes that would take you back centuries.
It is reported that China has boosted between 300-500 million people out of abject poverty following the 10-year Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Despite all the progress, China’s per capita income remains well below the world average and far behind the income levels of many developed countries.
Despite the economic success story that is unparalleled in world history, China remains a developing nation. It has rampant air and water pollution, corruption, income inequity, a rapidly aging population and religious and minority repression (especially the Falun Gong and the Tibetan and Uyghur people). These issues pose major environmental and social challenges to its continued long-term harmonious development.
I do not raise these issues to cast aspersions on China, nor to interfere with their internal affairs or to denigrate the remarkable progress it has made throughout history. I raise these issues not because I want China to fail – on the contrary, the world needs China to succeed.
My lifetime interest in China, its people, history and culture and writing hundreds of articles about building cultural, educational and economic bridges with a Communist County, home to one-fifth of the world’s humanity has resulted in push back from of my fellow countrymen. Certainly nothing like the Red scare with the McCarthy era (During the McCarthy era, thousands of Americans were accused of being Communists or communist sympathizers and became the subject of aggressive investigations and questioning before government or private-industry panels, committees and agencies) witch hunt but being called a “Commie,” “ Red lover”, “Mao’s stooge,” “communist sympathizer” and others not fit to print.
Writing about China typically generates a visceral response from readers on both sides of the world. Some of my Chinese colleagues with a building sense of nationalism feel I should not point out the blemishes in China and are quick to highlight U.S. flaws in defense of their country. Many Americans, on the other hand, have been conditioned to believe China is the root of all evil and a significant factor in what ails our country and believe we should put trade shield around the U.S. to keep out the Chinese.
Given the economic anxiety gripping America, there is a growing trend to become more isolationist, xenophobic, and protectionist. While good for political pandering, history has demonstrated these moves hurt the American consumer and will prolong and worsen the global economic recovery.
Our national leaders should pursue not only free trade, but also fair trade. It is unfortunate when large-scale economic change gets dragged into political gamesmanship to garner votes at the expense of real solutions as we witnessed in the last presidential election. The tendency to spend time casting blame, seeking a scapegoat or bogeyman would be better spent searching for solutions that benefit American families, communities and creating jobs here at home.
Crossing the river by feeling for stones
Since China, under Deng Xiaoping opened to the world the changes have been like a roller-coaster on steroids. I suspect the next 30 will be like a bumper car ride during an earthquake.
Together, the U.S. and China should follow the cautionary approach embodied in Deng Xiaoping’s phrase, “Mozhe shitou guo he” or “Crossing the river by feeling for stones.”
My hope is we will continue to build the educational, economic, scientific, governmental, and people-to-people bridges between the U.S. and China that will enhance the friendship and trust that is necessary for our two countries to prosper.
An unstable China, makes for an unstable world. An America steeped in debt with an anemic economy does as well. We need to keep in mind our destinies are inextricably linked and that how we manage the upcoming issues, tensions and problems will impact all of humanity. Going forward, all major world issues will intersect at the corner of Beijing and Washington, DC.
Let’s move forward with our eyes wide open, building bridges between two great nations with the clear understanding that digging moats or building Great Walls have never been a successful long term strategy.
We must grow and mature together.
Tom Watkins serves on the University of Michigan Confucius Institute board of advisors and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation international advisory board. He is the former state superintendent of schools and is currently a U.S./China business and educational consultant.
