Time to learn to give, not just receive
- Source: Global Times
- [01:39 November 03 2009]
- Comments
Like it or not, China is shifting from being a recipient of international aid to being a donor. The country's rising economic power has put it in a new role, one the Chinese public needs to get used to.
When the news recently came that Germany will soon stop providing China with development assistance funds – which totaled 67.5 million euros ($97.4 million) in 2007 – public reaction was mixed, with some taking the move as an unfriendly gesture and others huffing that China did not really care about the funds anyway.
Almost simultaneously, at the start of the 4th Ministerial Conference of FOCAC, also known as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China announced an aid package that includes canceling debts of 33 African nations, and setting up funds to encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in the continent.
Public opinion again varied, with some questioning whether or not China – which still has a large population living in poverty – is ready to play the role of generous donor at the moment.
The two pieces of news reflect China's transitional role in world affairs, and the reconsideration of China's position by the world community.
The public needs to realize that China is now expected to take less and give more.
A few years ago, Japan's decision to stop providing aid to China strongly offended the Chinese public, which mistook the move as forecasting a dramatic policy change toward China.
Providing financial aid is based on an assessment of the overall economic strength of potential recipient countries. In the future, it is likely that more countries will cut their aid to China. It is unnecessary for the public to politicize the issue.
We may not agree with the logic behind stopping aid to China – that China is a mid-level developed country with the world's largest foreign exchange reserves, successfully hosted the Olympics last year and enjoys a growing global presence – but it is inevitable that many countries see it as no longer meeting the criteria for receiving aid.
China faces both mounting domestic challenges and a requirement to shoulder greater responsibility globally. Being a responsible power is not just about being a featured guest at global summits and making headlines around the world.
Rather, responsibility means caring for the world's needy in a way that suits their long-term interests.
The public should think more on how China can better provide aid to countries in need.
