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Chris Devonshire-Ellis On Chinese Premier'S Address At Cambridge

At the beginning of February, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was in Europe attending the annual Davos World Economic Forum, as well as visiting with European leaders. In the United Kingdom, he was invited to speak at Cambridge University. The transcript of the interview can be read on the China Business News website China Briefing.

Chris Devonshire-Ellis, senior partner and founder of Chinese Law and Tax firm Dezan Shira, offers the following commentary on the Premier's speech.

Premier Wen’s speech contains a number of interesting insights into where the Chinese Government sees their country, and the Governmental role and responsibility within it. He also alludes to the continuing development of the “Socialism with Chinese characteristics” theme, as opposed to the full on Capitalist model that is now starting to have serious questions asked of it.

Specifically, he talks about building an economic platform “Where the market plays a primary role in allocating resources under government macro-regulation.” That is a profound shift in thinking, and represents a move away from traditional Chinese government interference, yet still provides for Government involvement when necessary – just as Western Governments have been doing recently with their own free markets and especially the banking system. It possibly represents a coming together, finally, of a global “middle way” – the evils of rampant communism being just as bad as the evils of rampant capitalism, albeit with differing effects. This can only be a good thing as a global evolution in sustainable and fair government and governmental operational systems.

Wen also points out that “We have carried out political reform, promoted democracy and improved the legal system. People are the masters of the country. We run the country according to law and endeavor to build a socialist country under the rule of law.” I’d largely agree with that, although he goes a bit too far with the “People are the masters” rhetoric. However, the rest is generally true, and the Government he represents has stated quite clearly their goals in terms of national development, as he points out: “The essence of China’s reform and opening-up is to put people first and meet their ever growing material and cultural needs through releasing and developing productive forces. It aims to give everyone equal opportunities for all-round development. It aims to protect the democratic rights of the people and promote stability, harmony and prosperity across the land. And it aims to safeguard the dignity and freedom of everyone so that he or she may pursue happiness with ingenuity and hard work.” These are uplifting values that Wen is pushing here, and of course this should be encouraged. Those values are far from being dissimilar with democratic beliefs, and the historical quirk of Tibet aside, is one that holds largely true in the development of modern Chinese society.

Wen goes on further to suggest the Government maintains the moral right to rule, references several impressive achievements and steps along the path of reform that China has taken the past 30 years. It’s difficult, and somewhat churlish to argue today against the Communist Parties right to rule.

I liked the cultural reference he made to the Tang Dynasty Poem, “From shore to shore it is wide at high tide, and before fair wind a sail is lifting.” in order to demonstrate the current mood in China, and also his reference to problems in the past – “(China) is a country that stood numerous vicissitudes but never gave up.” This is a direct reference to situations such as the Cultural Revolution and Tiananmen. He is also right to acknowledge them, yet place them in context – the China Government of today is composed of officials who were only children during Mao’s era and only just beginning political careers during Tiananmen. Times – and the people governing the country – have moved on.

Present too, was a reference to a trend begun with Hu Jintao as President and likely to continue – Wen’s self portrait of himself as a young man growing up in far west Xinjiang Province – and again his referencing cultural icons as a metaphor – the Euphrates Poplar is rarely quoted as a source of inspiration by Government leaders! It’s a welcome sign – as is the fact that many of today’s Chinese leadership have spend considerable time in Central and Western China – the very regions that represent China’s greatest challenges, political and economic. Such a leadership composition is more likely to rule with compassion as opposed to dictating rule from Beijing.

Wen pulled no punches either in recognizing the challenges, domestic and international, that China faces. Stating that China must “achieve industrialization, which Europe has long completed, while keeping abreast of the latest trends of the scientific and technological revolution; promote economic growth while ensuring social equity and justice; and pursue sustainable development at home while accepting our share of international responsibilities. The journey ahead will be long and arduous.” This is a man who is both pragmatic as well as cultured. He goes on, showing also how much China has already integrated into the global community: “Today, 300 million Chinese are learning English and over one million of our young people are studying abroad. The cultures and arts of various parts of the world are featured daily on China’s television, radio and print media. Had we not learned from others through exchanges and enriched ourselves by drawing on others’ experience, we would not have enjoyed today’s prosperity and progress. In the 21st century, economic globalization and the information network have linked us all together. Different cultures live together and influence each other. No culture can flourish in isolation. How much a country or a nation contributes to the culture of humanity is increasingly determined by her ability to absorb foreign cultures and renew herself. That is why China will remain open and receptive, value her own traditions while drawing on others’ successful experience, and achieve economic prosperity and social progress in a civilized and harmonious way.”

Within this is an astonishing figure – one million Chinese are being educated overseas. The future impact these children of China will have on their Mother Country over the next fifty years will be immense, as they bring back to China knowledge, integration and a renewed sense of belonging in a global community. Clearly, this is a phenomena taking place that will shape the direction of the world, and especially in the second half of the century.

In seeing China in a different light, Wen also laid down a challenge: “I stress the importance of seeing China in the light of her development, because the world is changing and China is changing. China is no longer the closed and backward society it was 100 years ago, or the poor and ossified society 30 years ago. Thanks to reform and opening-up, China has taken on a new look. What the Beijing Olympic Games showcased is a colorful China, both ancient and modern. I therefore encourage you to visit China more often and see more places there. This way, you will better understand what the Chinese people are thinking and doing, and what they are interested in. You will get to know the true China, a country constantly developing and changing.”

Such sentiments are true. Much commentary is made of China, a large percentage of it negative, from “informed” individuals, journalists, lawyers, bloggers, happy to spout off the latest bad news or continual promotion of a poor image. It is ironic, as many of those guilty of such actually manage to make a living from China, directly or otherwise. Yet it’s hardly an honorable occupation to engage in continual China criticism yet hold ones hand out for a paycheck or consulting fee at the end of it. I’ve discussed this with many China hands, and the opinion is usually the same – the individuals who remain consistently negative about China do so to cover up their lack of real knowledge or expertise about what is going on in the country. Many of the best read have never lived in China, let alone worked there. Wen’s challenge then holds true “Visit more often and see more places”.

Accordingly, Wen’s speech I thought was well balanced, cultured, and sprinkled with interesting anecdotes, history and poems. It also represented in my opinion, a pragmatic and reasonable overview of the state of China as she is today. While those who concentrate on the nonsense of the shoe-throwing incident will sadly always be around, Wen’s speech – on which little commentary has actually been made – demonstrated a country reborn, confident, and articulate. We should spend more time listening.

About the Author

Chris Devonshire-Ellis is the founder and senior partner of Dezan Shira & Associates, the law and accounting practice.

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