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China has a Dream ... and shares it By Li Fangchao (China Daily) Updated: 2006-04-03 08:45
China and an economic miracle are synonymous for most people around the world
when they think of the country.
Indeed, as the nation grows in the global
consciousness, many wonder how it was achieved.
Was it a collective
realization of a dream? If so, what is the Chinese dream now?
A group of
scholars and officials tried to give their interpretation yesterday at a
workshop themed "The Chinese Dream and a Harmonious World."
History tells
us that when a country registers strong economic growth, it generates in its
wake a large group of successful people China is at that stage now, said
Wu Jianmin, president of the China Foreign Affairs University.
Nearly 30
years of economic reforms have not only created a fast-growing economy but
also brought about major social changes as well as some severe problems
both within and outside the country, Wu said.
On the domestic front is
the increasing wealth gap between the rich and the poor; and growth at the cost
of the environment. Overseas, there is a spreading concept of a "China
threat."
Wu hopes that the pursuit of the Chinese Dream could resolve
both the problems.
At home, Wu said, the Chinese Dream aims to create
equal opportunities for people from all walks of life.
"We don't want to
see any hatred towards the rich," he said. "Migrant workers can also become the
elite in society through their pursuit of their dream."
Wu said that the
Chinese Dream has three distinctive characteristics. The first is the
unprecedented scale "of a vast nation with a population of 1.3 billion
rushing forward at such dazzling speed." The second is its wide scope, which
covers all aspects of society, the economy, politics and technology. The third
is that China shares its dream with the world.
"The Chinese Dream belongs
to both China and the world and that is to build a harmonious world in which
China shares its development and opportunities with the whole world," he
said.
Wu cited the example of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China,
Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) as an example of the nation's openness to
the world.
In 2004, China attracted FDI of US$526 billion, six and 10
times that of Japan and the ROK. "Though China opened up its economy much later
than them, it is now much more open than them," he said.
"Chinese people
can only pursue their dream on the back of close ties with the international
community," he said. "And the whole world will also benefit during the
process."
Zhang Yesui, vice-foreign minister, echoed Wu's opinion,
stressing that China would stick to a path of peaceful development to build a
harmonious world. (For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates) |
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