Gradual transformation mark of China's success
- Source: Global Times
- [22:56 March 21 2010]
- Comments
By Swaran Singh
First, there was the search for the "Beijing consensus" and now the quest for a "China model."
China watchers have long been debating if China's economic miracle has produced a consensus on what constitutes the broad contours of China's development pattern, and whether this model can be exported to other locales with similar success.
When debating specific components of the "China model," the arguments about the nature of polity and party remain too divided and the jaw-dropping economic and military modernization too praised.
It is China's piecemeal yet pioneering transformation in sectors of public health and education, infrastructure building and poverty alleviation that is making China an inspiring model to emulate. At a result of this piecemeal change, China has managed to defy the stereotype that large populations remain a liability. China has turned its billion plus people into its most productive main asset and emerged as the factory of the world. More and more people around the world are buying "Made in China."
This demonstrates global endorsement of the concerted dedication of China's political elite in pursuing these enormous experiments that have become especially inspiring for other large societies in the developing world.
Credit for this transformation goes to the CPC and its leadership which has provided the vision and the direction.
It has also ensured the grooming of and smooth transition of political power to successive generations of Communist leaders all across China.
The CPC today may be facing daunting challenges to fulfill rising expectations from home and abroad, yet it remains a strong pillar of society that has energized China's elite, middle class and masses.
According to the World Bank's March 2009 report on poverty in China, the last 30 years have seen the population of absolute poor in China, defined as those living on less than a dollar a day, drop from 65 to 10 percent.
China has also just passed Japan to become the world's second largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Report 2010, China, with its 15.6 percent share of global industrial production, has crossed Japan (15.4 percent) and is closing with the US (19 percent).
According to UNICEF statistics, as of 2008, Chinese had a life expectancy of 73 years, a literacy rate of 99 percent for both men and women between 15-24, and 98 percent of urban and 81 percent of rural people have access to clean water.
This shows how the China model also questions several fundamentals of conventional thinking. For example, a country with a mere $3,000 per capita income has become the world's second largest economic powerhouse.
Even in the face of global meltdown last year, Chinese economy grew by 8.6 percent. China also went out of its way to help other countries. These events have catapulted China into the global super league.
This has made the world curious, especially where the benefits of China's economic miracle have begun to have their trickle-down impact. This is facilitating much awaited social and political changes.
Meanwhile, initiatives like the decision of the recently concluded session of the NPC to give equal voting rights to China's rural and urban population have triggered greater trust in the Chinese elite and its vision.
This shows that the China model is amenable to change, which seems to be the buzzword of our times.
The author is a professor of diplomacy and disarmament at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. forum@globaltimes.com. cn
