Certain arrogant Westerners continue to ignore China’s rise and make negative predictions about China. Martin Jacques, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics, wrote in an article recently published on the U.K.-based Observer newspaper. Based on abundant and accurate data, Jacques concluded that the Chinese economy still enjoys bright prospects.
China’s share of world economic output has risen from 2 percent to 10 percent over the past 30 years since the reform and opening-up, and the country has become the world’s second largest economy. The country’s annual foreign trade volume has surged from 500 billion U.S. dollars to 3.6 trillion U.S. dollars in merely 10 years since its accession to the World Trade Organization. As the world’s largest exporter, China has 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars of overseas assets and 18,000 enterprises abroad.
After the global financial crisis, China adopted timely, effective, and appropriate measures to handle the severe crisis, and has become a major engine for the world economic recovery. The United States and European countries, which are eager to get out of the economic downturn, as well as emerging markets and developing countries, which seek sustainable development, are all optimistic about China’s future, and believe that the rising Eastern power will continue to play a crucial role in boosting the global economic recovery.
China is fully aware of its own problems, and is prepared for both predictable and unforeseen challenges. The Chinese people will continue to work hard and do their own things well. China’s development is inseparable from the world, and it takes the rest of the world some time to adapt to China’s rapid development.
Certain people are jealous of China’s strong growth momentum. China should ignore unreasonable criticism and never compromise its principles. As for neighboring countries’ worries about its rise, China should show more kindness and build up mutual trust with its neighbors through practical actions to promote peace and common development.
Developing countries are China’s important partners, providing a strategic backing for its peaceful rise. Instead of seeking immediate paybacks, China should provide greater support and more assistance to developing countries that need help, and develop friendly cooperative relations with more countries.
The further China advances on its road of peaceful development, the brighter the world’s future will be.
– Zhong Sheng