Why Be Afraid of China ?

As  the world’s centre of gravity rotates back sooner than later to China, what a different world map we will all be already  watching. The days of a divided nation perpetually ravaged by internal fights, quarrels, local  and  external wars are long over.  The archaic and monarchic rule for centuries by dynasties and  emperors  who were easily  corrupted  by  obscure  forces  asking  for  favours  and  obtaining  treaties  are also gone forever. No more the decadent  picture of a permissive society  of  concubines, food  and  wine  festival, games  and opium  parties  for those who hold and have power.
A  new  China  grouping  56 ethnics (far in advance than their European Union  counterparts), united under one flag  has emerged  with  time. From the trials  and  errors  of  Sun Yat Sun initial  experience of the  first  republic  in 1910 to that of Mao ZeDong  firmly established  Peoples’ Republic  in 1949 with a fine tuning by Deng Xiao Ping in the mid 80’s for a ”one  country, two systems policies”, called the socialist  market economy,  China  has  rightly  been  restored back to its  predestined position  as the Middle Kingdom, the Ying &Yang  midway path  of Harmony and Success. It  is  now continuously  marching forward to be  what  Alain  Peyrefitte, French  writer, diplomat and De Gaulle favorite political man wrote, almost  prophetically  in 1973 after his visit to China “Quand  La Chine s’éveillera…. Le  Monde  Tremblera. ” Why  not  “s’émerveillera” ?
Strong Confucian values
The rise from a traditional agricultural country to the most powerful  economic  country  in the world, surpassing  the U.S. as the no. 1  in a year or two has already created fears among  certain western countries. The loss of  geopolitical power and influence means that western supremacy  and role is at ebb and  their  monopoly  of  truth, power and  say in the affairs of the world  is  questioned, not to say  no longer  hold  good. This is why we do hear from time to time distress signals being sent across the world of China  imminent  aggression in the neighbouring region, especially in the Pacific Rim, and the maritime completing claims in the South China seas. But the war with Taiwan nor with Japan over the  disputed  Diaoyutai  islands  or with other  neighbouring  countries  had  never  materialized, despite  attempts to pour oil in the fire. Any catastrophe  cannot  be  China  sole doing as its major partners have to come to the party as well.  Ying and Yang are equal and opposite.
China  actual  leaders  are pragmatic, a legacy  inherited  from Premier Chou En Lai, which  was in evidence at the Bandung  Non Aligned Conference in 1955. They are highly educated at University level and are imbued with strong Confucian values of work, respect  and humility  which allow  them to serve their country with pride, respect,  discipline and honour and more immuned from  financial temptations which we so often hear and  see  in the neighbouring  areas. They  are at par with their Singaporean counterparts in the pursuit of a noble cause as they are open to western  education and values  to obtain a good  mix of East and West quintessence  Chou En Lai, Deng Xiao Ping, Lee Kuan Yue and others (too many to name) are good examples of the right political pedigrees. They set, in fact, the right model for  modern public servants and leaders. With their leadership  a new world order is in the making with China playing a prominent and determining role. But China efforts to create a better world  with global  growth and prosperity from their new economic position, have never  been quite understood.
China success  is by no means an accident nor a favour the West is giving. The Chinese are  known to be very efficient workers, make efforts, work extra and overtime and accept  sacrifices with longer weekly  hours of work, more  than their European counterparts.  They work very  hard for  very  little keeping  the factories  running  all day long and their factory  owners  getting  richer and happier  and the country  more prosperous. They are the driving  force behind  China economic  boom.  They are the million  migrant  workers  leaving  their  rural villages to find  jobs in the cities and overseas. Today China  has  become the factory of the world and also that of their  own people.  But at what price?
The Mauritian Economic Miracle
Here  in  Mauritius it is the same story but on a smaller scale. Perhaps the best example of the acumen, the   entrepreneurship  and  the  hard working nature  of the Chinese  people  could  be  best demonstrated by the Sino Mauritians  themselves. Their  ancestors  left  China  with nothing  except  their culture, traditions, hopes  and dreams and their  willingness  to  start a new life in a new country. Within  the short span of  two or three  generations, they  have moved  from LA BOUTIQUE CHINOIS  to  become qualified  professionals –  doctors, teachers, lawyers,  accountants, businessmen , small scale manufacturers, supermarket  patrons and entrepreneurs  and raised  their  social status and those of  their children  to a much higher standard. The Mauritian Economic Miracle would not have been  possible  without  their  smart contribution (thank you, Prof. Lim Fat, father of the EPZ) and those  of  the Chinese  workers  in the factories.
There is a lesson to be learnt about the Sino Mauritian  phenomenal  success  history .No wonder then that the actual Chinese  Ambassador, His Excellency  Mr. Li  Li,  made it a point of  honour,  before taking his assignment, to visit Meixian, the ancestral  home of the majority of  the  Sino Mauritians to appreciate  the special  qualities  of the Mauritian  Hakka  people.
During the days of the British Empire it was useful to speak English and know its culture and literature. Today  it  is equally important that we should learn Mandarin and understand  the Chinese Culture  which is the most  influencial, the most  ancient  and  multi-varied in the world. Ignoring it can cause misunderstanding  and  create unnecessary  tension in the world. However,  there is  no secret about Chinese Culture as  mainland and overseas Chinese, totaling 1.6 billion people in our planet  practise  it all the year round with its festivals, customs, traditions, worships, arts, music, food, herbal and traditional medicine, tai chi exercises. With a Chinatown in most countries of the world,  cultural  activities  are not lacking.
The  Chinese are basically, from birth, marriage to death, perpetual seekers  of  Harmony. They are often looked down as being  the most superstitious  people. Yet they offer to the world  their best and great gift as their culture has a good mix, in terms of  religious belief, of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, which help people the world over to respect, understand, and love each other and avoid fighting. It is during the Spring Festival that the practice of Harmony is most important, is most significant  and  is most  complete.
Life  has  not  always been  sweet and rosy to the vast majority of the Chinese people edging  the poverty  line. With India, China  has  the greatest number of poor people in the world.  Many live in the rural areas and  remote villages with a dollar a day. Like most people of the globe, poor and rich  alike, they  have their own peculiar dreams and hopes. These  are represented by the 3 icons Fu, Lu,  Soo, which are found in most Chinese homes in all forms, shapes  and  colours.  In some temples prayers are offered to the 3 deities. There is a belief that praying them bestowed back gifts which are essential for attaining the right balance of harmony. Family  therefore  discreetly  wish  authority and power(fu)  good luck and prosperity (Lu)  good health and longevity (Soo) for their  happiness  and success. Being  the most silent people in the world they will never dare to  talk about their dreams and their hopes.
Unesco  World  Heritage  Sites
China  has left a rich collection  of Unesco  World  Heritage  Sites, 47 in all, to humanity  and every year millions of tourists all  over  the world  and the local people come to visit  these  places, some  of them  having stupendous views and  sceneries. The Pandas of Sichuan, the Hakka Tulou Round Houses in Yongding, the Confucius temple in Qufu  have all  touched our hearts. The ZHANGJIAJIE  scenic areas with its turquoise waters and rushing waterfalls,  the  JIUZHAIGOU charms in Hunan with its 9 Rivers valley and bluer-than-blue lakes and deep green trees, the Buddha Statues at the Longmen Caves or the Leshan  Grand Buddha Statue have stirred our eyes. The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven in Beijing and the Terracotta Warriors in Xian have stunned our imagination.They are so much impressive that we have  but  praise for the Hans  to  have  preserved  those  precious  jewels  as  Beautiful China  gifts.
China had taken keen and genuine interest in Africa after the western powers had abandoned  them with independence and  incomplete development. They had  come  to their  rescue with aids for development and as merchants paying  cash to buy all their goods and materials. It is only  then that we hear so much noises about the new form of colonialism. All  is forgotten about slavery and the exploitation of Africa  leaving Africans  with  peanuts. Where  have  all the  riches  gone?  Nothing is said  about  this  western  colonialism. China is a friend to the African countries  which  are trying to move away from the pattern of development  which the former colonial masters are bent  on continuing. China is a partner for African’s future. The role which China has played in the decolonization of Africa still resonates  throughout  the Continent.
China had never invaded or conquered  a country by force but had invaded the whole world with its manufacturing goods and  products sold at a much competitive  price than elsewhere  and value for money and  in return buy raw materials all over the world  at the market price to keep world  production going  on and factories running for the benefit of  all of us. Its  Chinatowns also have  conquered the world  by giving us a good taste of China. The Chinese people are peaceful by their culture.  As the world’s centre of gravity returns back to China, come home dear friends  for a cup of tea,  and tell us why are you still afraid of the imaginary Chinese Dragon?