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Sunday, December 12, 2021

Mutual trust and understanding essential: Lessons from China’s development model

 

China can also take the lead in regional good governance.

TO achieve international connectivity, close international cooperation and coordination is required at all times, said political analyst Bunn Nagara.

And this also requires a certain level of trust and confidence among countries, he stressed.

For China and Malaysia, however, this is being challenged by active disputes in the South China Sea between China and Malaysia’s Asean neighbours as well as other “security incidents”, said Nagara at the recent Friends of Silk Road forum organised by the Malaysia-china Friendship Association.

“Some of these altercations have been bitter and alarming, and steadily more incidents have affected Malaysia.”

Nagara said these are avoidable and costly problems which have a significant impact on regional policy.

“They are costly because without these unnecessary challenges, regional cooperation, integration and development would improve tremendously. They occur at great cost to all of us.”

Together, China and Asean countries can do much more and achieve greater heights of development, but political will and courage are needed to turn wise thoughts into reality, he said.

“Some argue that the South China Sea issue is a key hurdle to deepening our bilateral relationship but I don’t think that because this comes from history and this can be discussed and resolved diplomatically.

“The immediate problem is not the conflicting claims, which have been there for years and will still be there for years to come. The outstanding problem is the possible actions that happen can be a very dangerous situation.“

“Closer cooperation and coordination are key, and whether and how far we can progress and succeed on these issues remain to be seen. I hope we have the political will to do what is necessary for all our interests in this region. I also hope that we can all work more closely together to achieve these necessary ends.

“For example, China and Asean should have quiet diplomatic discussions, away from all the publicity, so that we can talk frankly and quietly behind the scenes, so that others may not intervene.”

Another area where China can take the lead is in regional good governance, Nagara said.

“China could help us as well in terms of showing what kind of governance is needed to ensure sustainable economic growth.”

He explained that an unfortunate aspect of rapid economic development in this region is corrupt practices and persons.

“China has done a very good job in clamping down on corruption, which many other countries would like to do as well. But since corruption is often an international crime with cross-border implications, governments need to work more closely against it. An effective regional anti-corruption regime will need efficient extradition laws to deal with suspected individuals and fugitives from justice.”

China can be a global leader in anti-corruption laws and action, said Nagara.

“No country can object to that, and all countries will then follow China’s positive leadership in this effort. Many of these solutions are vital and not difficult to implement, given the political will.

“They are necessary if greater economic growth, with more development through better regional integration, is to be assured.”

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Lessons from China’s development model

Comprehensive initiative: Farmer Wang Enhai loading baskets of green plum in Quanfa Village of Wushan County, China, for sale. Like many others in Quanfa, Wang managed to climb out of poverty through China’s targeted poverty reduction programme. — Xinhua/file photo

DESPITE the Covid-19 pandemic and the global economic stagnation in 2020, China managed to record 2.3% growth and a US$4.6tril (RM17.69tril) trade volume last year, becoming the only major economy to grow during the devastating year.

Already the world’s second largest economy with a GDP of US$14.7tril (RM61.92tril), it is no surprise that China managed to bounce back easily.

As Malaysia-China Friendship Association (PPMC) president Datuk Abdul Majit Ahmad Khan put it, China’s achievements in development are “spectacular”.

He noted, “This is clearly demonstrated in the transformation of the country’s status from a poor nation to a moderately prosperous one. It is a record in human history that a country has achieved so much prosperity and stability within the space of 40 years.

“From a ‘closed nation’, China today is an engine of regional and global growth. Its development model has provided opportunities for investment, trade, tourism, and China has become the global hub of supply chain, manufacturing, and services in trade.”

The question is whether China’s successful development model could be adopted elsewhere.

This has been the subject of debate among many analysts and was one of the discussion points of a recent Friends of Silk Road forum organised by the PPMC with the support of the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia entitled “The global significance of China’s develop-mental model”.

Held in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-Asean relations, the aim of the webinar was to continue the ongoing dialogue and confidence- building over the years between Malaysia and China. It also provided an opportunity for reflection on the 100th anniversary of the Com-munist Party of China as well as China’s transformation in the context of Malaysia-China’s relationship.

“Malaysia and the Asean region have indeed gained tremendously from China’s transformation as reflected in the deep and strong economic linkages between the two regions,” said Abdul Majit.

Comprehensive poverty eradication


One area is poverty eradication, said Dr Ge Hongliang, deputy dean of the Asean College of Guangxi University for Nationalities in China.

Delving into the relationship between Malaysia and China, specifically Sino-Malaysian cooperation in poverty reduction, Ge highlighted that China’s poverty eradication programme is a topic that is important in the study of China and South-East Asia.

Relating his firsthand witness account of China’s development, Wang Yuzhu, director of Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and East Asia Cooperation Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said he could see China’s “economic miracle” in his own life’s journey – from his humble beginnings on a farm in a rural Chinese village to a comfortable life as a public servant.

Wang concurred that the republic’s comprehensive poverty eradication programme is one of the important factors underpinning the country’s rise.

“Based on current poverty standards, 770 million rural poor people in China have been lifted out of poverty since China opened up. This accounted for more than 70% of global poverty reduction population during the same period according to the World Bank’s international poverty standards,” he said, referring to the “China’s Practice in Human Poverty Reduction” white paper.

China’s poverty eradication initiative was effective as it was targeted, with meticulous planning such as precise project arrangements, inch-perfect measures as well as accurate use of funds, personnel and other resources, Wang noted.

There is a learning value from it for developing countries, including Malaysia, to achieve complete poverty reduction and modernisation, said Ge.

“This has undoubtedly created a useful basis for China and Malaysia to continue to strengthen cooperation on the poverty reduction agenda.”

Adding that extra attention needs to be given to the rural and less developed areas, he said China and Malaysia would be able to have mutual cooperation through this, specifically to develop agriculture.

Tourists enjoying handmade lanterns displayed by a handicraft company in Guangling County of Datong. Under China's poverty eradication programme, the company has helped over 200 impoverished residents to by providing them with occupational training. — Xinhua/File photo 

Tourists enjoying handmade lanterns displayed by a handicraft company in Guangling County of Datong. Under China's poverty eradication programme, the company has helped over 200 impoverished residents to by providing them with occupational training. — Xinhua/File photo

Vital global role

There is a global significance to China’s rise, said Wang.

With its land and population size, China is an important part of the world, he noted.

“China is also the world’s factory – its exports account for about 16% of the world’s goods. Therefore, China’s problems are not only its own problems but also global problems. China’s development is an important part of world development.”

China would also need to play a big role in protecting the environment, he noted.

“We need strive to reach the peak of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, as put forward by the slogan ‘green water and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains’.”

Ultimately, said Wang, China and the world need to develop together.

“China adheres to the policy of good neighbour and friendship to safeguard regional and world peace. China also actively participates in regional cooperation, adheres to multilateralism, and promotes regional and global economic integration,” he said.

He added that China is also working together with other countries to build “a peaceful and prosperous community with a shared future for humankind” through the Belt and Road Initiative.

However, Wang believes China’s “development experience” is distinctly Chinese. He listed 10 points behind China’s rise which included upholding the party’s leadership, putting the people first, following the “Chinese path”, promoting a united front, and remaining committed to self-reform.

Independent political analyst and honorary research fellow at the Perak Academy Bunn Nagara gave an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of Malaysia-China relations and also the impact of China’s rise and how it has continued to reshape regional geopolitical dynamics.

He too noted that China’s development model is of great interest to almost everyone, from economists to policymakers and anyone with interest in political economy, strategic studies and international relations. It is also of great interest to people in many different countries in the developing world, in the developed world, among former colonies and former colonial powers, and among emerging markets.

“China’s development model is special and its development record is spectacular for the following reasons.

“Development is rapid, even for the large size of the country. It is essentially a hybrid endogenous model unique to China. Develop-ment does not derive from colonial conquests and plunder of other lands.

“China’s sheer size means the impact on many other countries is considerable.”

But there are important caveats in considering China’s development model, he said: “First, that China did not begin with a single and fixed model 100 years ago to arrive at where it is today. It began with a set of values, principles and goals, selecting and then adapting theory to suit local conditions at the time, with what is called Chinese characteristics.

“The process is grounded in pragmatism... and is evolutionary, incremental and revolutionary as the need arises at each stage. Periodic reflection and correction then helped to refocus policy towards the original values, principles and goals.”

Despite the historical hardships that China has endured, it has also been fortunate to be able to experiment and develop its own model of development, free from the pressures and conditionalities imposed by multilateral agencies on so many developing nations, Nagara added. Like other developed economies in East Asia, China has shown that it can overcome this development dependency trap.

Nagara feels that Malaysia and China can learn from each other.

“It is just as important for countries to avoid copying a development model from somewhere else as it is for any country to reject imposing its model on others. China has wisely chosen not to export its development model, even though other countries may learn from it.... But no one size fits all; we’ve got to learn from one another – pick and choose what fits us the best.”

Another Malaysian expert, Datuk Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim, who is an adjunct professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and visiting professor at the Center of Malaysia Scholars in Huaqiao University, China, suggested ways in which Malaysia and China could work together to jumpstart Malaysia’s pandemic-stricken economy, including considering some opening up of the borders with a travel bubble.

Irmohizam also stressed the importance of passing the baton to the next generation to continue maintaining this bridge-building work that is ongoing between Malaysia and China.

“We should encourage further exchanges between China and Malaysia, specifically through people-to-people exchanges, especially the young,” he said. 

By HARIATI AZIZAN

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Friday, December 10, 2021

US Democracy Summit: An undemocratic ‘summit for democracy

 

The virtual "Summit for Democracy" held by the US kicked off on Thursday, but Chinese analysts said that Washington just ...



Democracy should reflect the will of the people. But what happens when that will is ignored? The U.S. describes itself as a democratic country. Yet, it has rampant gun violence and racial discrimination, widening social inequality, needless overseas wars, and the worst record of COVID-19 deaths globally. In an original two-part series, CGTN takes a hard look at how democracy is slowly eroding in the U.S. and how it may spread throughout the world if not stopped. Join us for "U.S. Democracy: A reality check," only on CGTN. #WhoDefinesDemocracy #WholeProcessDemocracy
 

 'Summit for Democracy': How a single toxic hornet hijacks a group of bees

Illustration: Chen Xia/GT
Illustration: Chen Xia/GT 

The US-initiated "Summit for Democracy" began Thursday night Beijing time. Several hours before its opening, Pakistan, which was among the participants the US had invited, announced that it would not attend. Pakistan's announcement triggered much discussion. In addition to the heated discussion of why the US invited certain countries and regions but did not invite some others, the latest topic has taken the real theme of "democracy" away.

The US has used much of its strength to snub China and Russia and controversially defined which country or region is democratic and which is not. The forces it tries to curry favor from are definitely not as many as it has offended. It must be said that the US has become so fragile that it has to go around in such a big circle to beg for a little support. The result is destined.

Democracy is not achieved by talking big, but by a country's arduous work. Democracy is not the franchise model of chain stores where the US formulates rules and rations ingredients, with the same cartoon character of an old guy standing in front of each entrance. The team of US President Joe Biden must have eaten too much KFC and McDonald's when they were young.

Biden convened this "summit for democracy" at a time when US national governance, including its democratic system, was criticized the most. From the West's point of view, the summit should be held as a "criticism summit" against the US. The US has been a drag on Western democracy, and this is the major reason why Western democracy has felt a sense of crisis. Discussions about the US' "decline" have flooded the world's public opinion field. From the COVID-19 fight to anti-racial discrimination, the US has not done anything worthy of being put on a window display in the West. Western democracy has lost its face by following the US.

The very purpose of this "summit for democracy" is to use a big pomp to remind the world: The "declining" US you talk about is still the boss and other countries should choose the right "big brother" to follow. Washington wants to form a "democratic gang," but the world has turned that old page long ago. Even street singers use QR codes to get paid nowadays.

Some say that the "summit for democracy" may become one of Biden's few political legacies. But is it pitiful for Biden? No wonder some Chinese people said ironically that even the head of a county in China is more practical and capable than the US president.

This so-called summit for democracy is bound to be a hypocritical exposition of all kinds of international political machinations within the US-led gang. This conference in the name of "democracy" will definitely be nailed to the pillar of shame in history, just because it deepens the divisions of the world and intensifies confrontation between major powers. In this sense, it may be regarded as the "political legacy" of the Biden administration, but definitely a negative asset.

It's a joke that the US, trapped in the COVID-19 epidemic, even dares to summon a "summit for democracy" and attempt to give a voice to democracy when it has just run away from Afghanistan, the "laboratory for democracy." A swarm of innocent bees is being hijacked by a toxic hornet who teaches them to sting, not to produce honey.

A farce is being staged. The world did not host an infrastructure summit, an education summit or a poverty alleviation summit, but the US created a "summit for democracy." So far, what has caused the most global deaths are the COVID-19 pandemic that ravages across the world, as well as the Western-style "democracy" imposed by the US and West on developing countries. The US didn't have to hold a "summit for democracy." It would be best for it to open its border and let refugees from Third World countries who suffered immensely from Western-style democracy enter its territory and enjoy "authentic democracy."

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An undemocratic 'summit for democracy 

An undemocratic 'summit for democracy'

 

US President Joe Biden arriving to deliver his remarks at the virtual Summit for Democracy at the White House in Washington DC. — AFP

THIS week the United States hosted an online “Summit for Democracy” (Dec 9-10), which it claimed was to “focus on challenges and opportunities facing democracies” and to “defend democracy and human rights at home and abroad”.

Unfortunately, it might end up to be nothing but an attempt to divide the world into opposing political camps and advance the US’S own strategic agenda with democracy as an excuse. If so, the meeting couldn’t be further away from the spirit of democracy. China firmly opposes the move by the US, one that is dominated by Cold War mentality and which seeks to incite ideological confrontation and risks creating new divisive lines in the international community.

With this summit, the US seeks to empower itself to determine who is democratic and who is not based on its own liking, and measure the merits of other countries’ democracy with its own yardstick. This is, in fact, privatisation and labelling of democracy and will make the “Summit for Democracy” itself undemocratic.

The world today is facing pressing global challenges such as an ongoing pandemic and climate change, and some countries, including the US, are troubled by a worsening democracy and many domestic problems. Under such circumstances, countries have every reason to prioritise the needs of the people, advocate unity and cooperation, and strive for development and progress.

Perhaps the last thing a responsible major country should do is to turn a blind eye to its own problems and scapegoat others politically. Ironically, it is the people who have to pay the price at the end of the day.

While upholding democracy at home, countries should also support greater democracy in international relations, uphold the Un-centred international system and the international order based on international law.

Efforts are also urgently needed to practice true multilateralism and make global governance more inclusive. These are the shared aspirations of the international community and meet the trend of our times. Unfortunately, the US summit did not indicate if it would advance these goals, seeming instead to make itself a disruptive factor.

China believes that democracy means, in essence, that people are the masters of the country. Democracy is practiced to meet people’s needs, bringing the people a decent and happy life and progress for the country and beyond.

Having seen a number of successful and failed cases of democracy worldwide, countries across the world must have come to realise one thing: true democracy will only dawn when it is deeply rooted in a country and fits well with its own national conditions and stage of development. Efforts to mechanically copy the political systems and democratic models of others have never worked and never will. Neither do attempts to impose one’s own political will on others.

When it comes to China’s case, the Chinese people have followed the political development path with Chinese characteristics and created the model of whole-process ....

An undemocratic 'summit for democracy

An undemocratic 'summit for democracy'

 

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Wednesday, December 8, 2021

US hijacks Olympics, turns it into ‘small clique’ diplomatic tool ahead of democracy summit

Beijing Winter Olympics 

 Does Anyone Care About Their Absence? They Are Not Even Invited!

 


US' act around the Beijing Winter Olympics is like posing while nude, and that is not art


China has lodged solemn representations and expressed strong opposition to the US' "diplomatic boycott" of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, and will take firm countermeasures, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, while Chinese and foreign experts said the US is making itself a joke not only by announcing a boycott of the Games that had not invited US politicians and also by citing lies of "genocide" against China as an excuse to politicize the Olympics in an attempt to create momentum for its upcoming democracy summit.

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the Biden administration will not send any diplomat or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic games, citing "genocide" and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and "other human rights abuses."

The US has been fabricating the biggest lie of the century about so-called "genocide" in China's Xinjiang region, which has been refuted by facts. Based on ideological biases and lies, the US is trying to disturb the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. The US practice gravely violates the principle of political neutrality enshrined in the Olympic Charter, runs counter to the Olympic motto of "together" and stands on the opposite side of global athletes and sports fans, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, told a press conference on Tuesday.

Zhao noted that the Winter Olympics is not the platform for posturing and manipulation. According to Olympic rules, officials are invited by their?respective National Olympic Committee to attend the Olympic Games. Whether the US officials will come to the Beijing Winter Olympics and root for their own athletes is the US' own business.

Despite not even being invited, the US side linked its officials' attendance with the so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang, going down the wrong path further by distorting facts while cheating themselves as well as others. The US political agenda wins no supports and is doomed to fail, Zhao said.

US President Joe Biden and some politicians were hyping a boycott of the Beijing Games. However, the Global Times learned previously from sources that as the host country, China never planned to invite US and Western politicians who hype the "boycott" topic.

No one cares whether US politicians will come or not and it has no impact on the success of the Beijing Games, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the US, tweeted on Tuesday.

The White House announcement on Monday was also mocked in the US and on Twitter. Nikki Haley, the former US ambassador to the UN, tweeted that "A diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics is a joke. China doesn't care if Biden and team show up. They want our athletes."

Ben Norton, an assistant editor of the US news website the Grayzone tweeted that "The Biden admin is acting like its diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Olympics in Beijing is a brave move for 'human rights,' but China openly said for weeks that the US was not even invited. This is the political version of a petulant child shouting, 'Well, I didn't wanna go anyway!'"

Adnan Akfirat, president of the Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association, who openly opposed the US politicizing the Olympics, described the US decision as "a futile effort" and it is also ridiculous to say that those who haven't already been invited won't attend.

There is a proverb in Turkish. "The rabbit is offended by the mountain!" Akfirat told the Global Times.

In a statement on the US boycott on Monday, the International Olympic Committee said that the presence of government officials and diplomats is a purely political decision for each government, which the IOC in its political neutrality fully respects. At the same time, this announcement also makes clear that the Olympic Games and the participation of the athletes are beyond politics, and we welcome this.

Low-cost try

Since there is no invitation for US politicians to attend the Beijing Games, why it is still keen on hyping the topic? Analysts from China and overseas said that US attempts to use the "cheap shot" to humiliate China, but it only exposes its own malicious moves of politicizing the Olympic spirit.

Tom Fowdy, a British political and international relations analyst, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the Biden administration's announcement is "fueled by obvious opportunism. It is adecision which allows them to whip up anti-China sentiment, but comes with very little sacrifice or cost."

The US is attempting to smear China in a low-cost way since US politicians have realized that if clashes or confrontations are intensified or lead to the military field, the risk may be too great to bear. They chose to "boycott" the Beijing Olympics - a diplomatic stunt to showcase the US presence and "leading role" in values, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

However, such a move is absurd. The unilateral boycott without an invitation in advance is a very cheap political gesture. It is as ridiculous as I say that I will boycott going to Mars," Lü said.

Psaki told the Monday press conference that US athletes will be participating in the Beijing Games and they will be "rooting for the athletes from home."

The US wants to display its "humanity" by saying that athletes would come to the Beijing Games, but it is the US that initiated the hype of a boycott of the Games based on completely fake "genocide" allegations, putting numerous athletes' careers at risk, Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

The US' tactic of politicizing the Olympics also hit a new low as it chose to announce the boycott a few days before the so-called democracy summit, Li said, noting that the boycott is like a signal for the US to mobilize as many forces as possible to smear China, to pressure other countries to choose sides and to verify its global influence.

The US is scheduled to hold the Democracy Summit on Thursday and Friday this week, which has been criticized by observers for bringing new confrontations and dividing the world by ideology.

The Democracy Summit, which Biden plans to use as the symbol of the so-called "US is back," has "illogical and pathetic" criteria to divide democratic and non-democratic countries. "If democracy is the rule of the people for the people, the most anti-democratic country is the US," said Akfirat.

Graham Perry, a British solicitor and international arbitrator, told the Global Times that the issue of the US' diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympic has to be seen within the bigger issue of the rise of China and the relative decline of the US.

The West likes to portray China as a vicious, oppressive 'dictatorship' but facts show the opposite. For example, China has lifted 800 million people out of poverty and protected more people from COVID-19. So the West "invents" genocide allegations in Xinjiang to damage China, and as China becomes more successful, more lies would be told about China, Perry told the Global Times.

Who would follow?


While Chinese and foreign experts criticize the US for politicizing the Olympics and using the sports event to pressure other countries, they noted that the majority of countries will keep away from such a political move and not follow the US.

When responding to whether the US is trying to get other allies to join the US in the "diplomatic boycott," Psaki told the Monday press conference that "we have informed them of our decision, and obviously we will leave it to them to make their own decisions."

As of press time on Tuesday, no country has announced it would follow the US in boycotting the games. After the US' announcement, media in Canada and Australia reported that their politicians urged their governments to make a similar decision.

Maybe two or three countries will follow the US but no more, Lü said, noting that following the US in making such a decision should take long-term consequences into consideration especially if it will make a difference in the long run, especially for how the Chinese people feel about those countries.

New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said on Tuesday that New Zealand will not be sending diplomatic representatives at a ministerial level to the Beijing Winter Olympics, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason, and added that the decision was made in October.

Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based senior sports commentator, told the Global Times that the US "diplomatic boycott" of the Beijing Games has nothing to do with sports but all about politics. The boycott of the 1980 Olympics had left a very bad lesson for the world. The US now is carrying on the Cold War mentality to make another one, which is unpopular since the world has changed.

Wang said the US boycott has no impact on the Beijing Games but showed to the world how it intends to destroy a country's efforts to host a sports event. "The US is taking the initiative to bring destruction and in the future, which country would still be willing to host the Games since their efforts could be easily ruined by politics?"

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Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

 

 China warns US will 'pay' for diplomatic boycott of Olympics


China Says Diplomatic Boycott Violates Spirit of Olympics | Time

 

Games boycott a 'political farce' - PressReader


 

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Monday, December 6, 2021

Democracy summit will dodge questions on governance gap between China and US: Martin Jacques

Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest outside the US Capitol on Wednesday, in Washington, DC. Demonstrators breached security and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. Photo: AFP 


Martin Jacques: Western concept of democracy lacks historical context


There is something more than a little ironic about President Biden's Summit for Democracy this week. The intention is blindingly obvious: to rally the troops in favour of Western-style democracy and draw a line in the sand between "democracy" (ie, the West) and "autocracy" (ie, China and Russia). In this Biden faces two huge problems, which will get little or no airing at the Summit. First, the Western democracies are in serious difficulties. And second, that China, in terms of governance, has been seriously out-performing the West.

The US talks about democracy in the manner of a slick TV advert. It is all good and no bad. It is timeless. It has long reigned and will reign forever. It cannot be improved upon. This, of course, is nonsense. No form of governance has, or will, last indefinitely. There are multiple signs that Western democracy is losing its popularity. Numerous Western polls have indicated growing disillusionment in their political systems.

Ultimately, any form of governance depends upon its ability to deliver. Whatever the fancy words, this is the bottom line. If it fails to deliver, then people will look for alternative forms of governance. Western governance was at its most successful during the long boom between 1945 and the mid-1970s. It delivered rapid economic growth, full employment, generous welfare reforms and prosperity. In the 1959 general election, the British Conservative Prime Minister ran on the slogan "You've never had it so good." He was right. And the Conservatives won big time. Even during the following rather less successful period between 1980 and 2007, Western governance still worked after a fashion. The turning-point was the Western financial crisis in 2008, the worst since 1931.

Ever since then, living standards in the West have struggled to return to even where they were in 2007. All the Western economies have remained on life-support, with zero or near zero interest rates, following the financial crisis. Their economic woes had political consequences, with growing disillusionment in the mainstream political parties and their leaders and, more seriously, in societal elites and governing institutions. The most dramatic case was the United States, the citadel of Western democracy. The reasons for the disaffection go back long before 2008: nearly half of all Americans have experienced static or falling living standards since 1980. Trump gave voice to the anti-establishment anger. His attitude towards democracy is, to put it mildly, unclear, as his covert support for the Insurrection at Capitol Hill last January well illustrates. Biden won the 2020 presidential election, but what will happen in 2024 is anyone's guess. The country is deeply divided and polarised to the point where there are almost two Americas. For the first time since the Civil War, there are serious doubts among Americans as to whether their democracy can survive.

Democracy works in good times but not so well in bad times. Between 1918 and 1939, a large majority of European states lived under various forms of dictatorship for part of, or most of, that period. Democracies were, for the most part, few and far between. The overriding reason was the Great Depression, with falling living standards, huge unemployment, impoverishment, racism, nationalism, and acute political polarisation.

Even if Western-style democracy survives, and it likely will in most Western countries, such are its deep roots, it will enjoy nothing of the elan and prestige it possessed during its heyday in the long boom, or even between 1980 and 2007. The reason is simple. Between 1945 and 2000, the West dominated the world. In 1970 it accounted for two-thirds of global GDP. The United States was by far the dominant country. Now the West accounts for rather less than half of global GDP while China, in terms of size, is on a par with America. We are in the process of transitioning to a post-Western world. Domestically and internationally, Western leaders enjoy much less prestige and authority than they did during the second half of the 20th century. Compare the regard in which Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Kennedy were held with that for George W Bush, Trump and Biden. And the same can be said of the declining respect for the US political system. The allure of democracy has greatly diminished.

The rise of China since 1978 has become a new measure of the performance of the United States and the West. Over this period China has out-performed the West in terms of delivery: the supercharged growth rate, the transformation in living standards, the huge reduction in poverty, the increase in life expectation, the long run social stability and the very high approval ratings. The way in which China has handled the pandemic, with just 4,636 deaths compared with 787,695 deaths in the US, is a powerful endorsement of Chinese governance and a shameful exposure of that in the US. Western democracy is under huge pressure both internally and externally. And the gulf between the relative performance between the US and China is set to grow ever wider.

These are the questions that should be discussed at the Summit for Democracy. But they won't be.
 

By Martin Jacques@martjacques
Martin Jacques was until recently a Senior Fellow at the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University. He is a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University and a Senior Fellow at the China Institute, Fudan University. He is the author of When China Rules the World.

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Sunday, December 5, 2021

Time for China’s youth to wake up to the other side of ‘fanquan’

 

‘Tainted’ stars: The authorities in Hangzhou slapped fines on top livestreamers, Cherie and Lin Shanshan, for misreporting personal income as business income to evade taxes. — China Daily/ANN

WHAT kind of person is best suited to become an idol who can inject positive energy into the youth of China?

Certainly not the 88 people who have been placed on the livestreaming ban list.

Chinese authorities have turned their attention to the fan culture prevalent in the country. On Nov 24, the China Association of Performing Arts introduced a list of 88 people who are banned from livestreaming. The list includes Guo Laoshi, who was known for her crude sense of humour, and tainted stars such as Kris Wu and Zhang Zhehan.

The measures were necessary after the entertainment stars were found mired in scandals ranging from sexual assault to tax evasion.

The authorities in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, had also slapped fines worth US$14.6mil (RM59.2mil) on two top livestreamers, Cherie and Lin Shanshan, for misreporting personal income as business income to evade taxes – tactics similar to those employed by actresses Fan Bingbing and Zheng Shuang.

Such regulatory action will serve society well. People who want to become stars must first of all behave themselves. In the past, some stars have let their fans down when their misdemeanours were exposed and their image came crashing down.

Kris Wu is one of the banned 88.

Kris Wu is one of the banned 88.Kris Wu is one of the banned 88.

Sometimes “chaotic” fan behaviour has led to conflicts between young fans and their parents.

On Chinese social networking sites, fan groups are often referred to as fanquan, or “fan circles”. The fans are mostly believed to belong to Generation Z, being born after 1995, and their numbers have grown significantly in recent years.

However, gone are the days when celebrities served as role models to exemplify what hard work could accomplish. These days fanquan knows no limits. Fans go to any extent in order to blindly support tainted entertainment stars. They waste their time, and even money, for their stars and frequently engage in verbally abusing fans of their stars’ rivals.

There have even been reports of teenage fans stealing their parents’ money and credit cards to buy products endorsed by their idols.

Therefore, it was high time the authorities to ensure the healthy development of fan culture among the young. Teenagers, whose minds are still immature, make up a bulk of such fan circles. Such toxic fan culture can play a negative role on the development of adolescent minds. Also, doing away with such fanquan is necessary for creating a healthy competitive environment in the entertainment industry.

Entertainment stars and their agencies should shoulder some social responsibilities to ensure the fans know how to behave and abide by social rules. — China Daily/ANN 

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China releases report exposing malaises of US democracy, timely and to the point: experts

A view of the US Capitol Building. Photo: IC

A view of the US Capitol Building. Photo: IC

Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sunday released a report on US democracy, exposing the deficiencies and abuse of democracy in the US as well as the harm of it exporting such democracy.

Ahead of the US-initiated summit for democracy, China has consecutively issued a white paper on Chinese democratic model and a report on US democracy, which not only defends China's own democratic achievements but also warns of the disastrous effects of the US' democratic mess on the world, said Chinese experts. They described the report as timely and to the point.

It is hoped that the US will improve its own system and practices of democracy and change its way of interacting with other countries, said the report, noting that this is in the interest of not only the American people, but also the people of other countries.

The report pointed the US system is fraught with deep-seated problems and the US democracy has become "a game of money politics," the US has "one person one vote" in name, which is however"rule of the minority elite" in reality; the checks and balances have resulted in a "vetocracy," and the flawed electoral rules have impaired fairness and justice, and the dysfunctional democracy has triggered a trust crisis.

The report also mentioned the messy and chaotic features of US democracy, including the capitol riot that shocked the world, entrenched racism, tragic mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, widening wealth gap and the "freedom of speech" in name only.

Also, the report bashed the disastrous consequences of US' practice of exporting democracy. The "color revolutions" have undermined regional and national stability, the US imposition of its style of democracy has caused humanitarian tragedies, the abuse of sanctions has breached international rules, and the "beacon of democracy" has drawn global criticism, according to the report.

Democracy is a common value shared by all humanity, said the report. It is a right for all nations, not a prerogative reserved for a few. Democracy takes different forms, and there is no one-size-fits-all model. It would be totally undemocratic to measure the diverse political systems of the world with a single yardstick or examine different political civilizations from a single perspective. The political system of a country should be independently decided by its own people, the report said.

The report pointed out that the US'system of democracy is derived from its own practices, noting this system is unique, not universally applicable, and it is far from perfect. However, over the years, the US, despite the structural flaws and problematic practice of its democratic system, has claimed itself as the "model of democracy." It has incessantly interfered in other countries' internal affairs and waged wars under the guise of "democracy," creating regional turbulence and humanitarian disasters, the report said.

One day after China released its white paper on the country's democratic model, China issued another report on US democracy, which not only explains what China's democracy is but also tells the world that China understands what the US democracy is. The US is far from a "beacon of democracy" and has nothing worth showing off given the chaotic American society, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

At a time when the whole world needs to work together to fight the pandemic, recover economically and care for the vulnerable, the US is hosting such a useless summit based on ideological boundaries which targets China, Russia and some other countries and regions. It reflects the US' Cold War mentality and exposes that the country is playing a divisive role in the world,Lü said, criticizing the upcoming US democracy summit.

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