(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, many specialists have speculated about the course of China's present economy and proposed various theories. There is a big gulf in their views, however, ranging from comparing the economy to an awakening giant, to calling it a house of cards about to collapse in economic ruin. On September 6, the Chinese edition of the Voice of America also presented some commentary from a well-known Chinese writer, Wang Lixiong. The following is his point of view -

... Recently, an interesting phenomenon has come up which is worth considering. Many foreigners, as well as many Chinese presently residing outside China, feel that China has a great future, in fact, getting better and better everyday. However, most people inside China think differently. In fact, they feel that the economy of the country is deplorable, and could get worse in the future.

Why is there such a difference between their views? Most people outside China have a good knowledge of China's economic growth. Everyone who has visited China is extremely impressed by the rapid surge of China's wealth and development. That is what they have seen with their own eyes, and it cannot be denied. Perhaps we should take a step back and look further ahead, though. Let's consider China's sources of wealth and in what form it comes. The wealth flows from the villages to the cities, and from the lower classes, it is siphoned up to the upper class. The wealth is gathered from a widespread circle of the population and then concentrated into a few small centers and groups. This tendency is a result of economic polarization, which is also a result of a strong internal capitalistic trend within the hierarchy. Moreover, under the autocratic policy of the government, every level of officials is under the pressure of the whip to achieve results. Hence they are all working towards contributing to this "visible" prosperity.

Then, what part of China do our friends from overseas see? It must be mostly the big cities. Even if they had the opportunity to go around, they would seldom get beyond the visitors' demarcation line and the areas delimited by public transport. Hence, what impresses them are the high wages and huge spending power of the people. The sudden appearance of high-rise buildings, new roads and bridges is no longer a surprise. As we said, it is in the cities where the upper level centers, and where we see the assembly of wealth in China today. This is also where all investors are dumping in their money, and also where all levels of government show off their achievements. If someone like myself who has been closely observing the development of China's society, someone who travels around the country often, was to stay in Beijing for more than three to five months, my own judgment might even mislead me about the of the true status of China's economy. Recalling the state of China in the 1920's and 1930's, although many were suffering from hunger and so many died as a result of war, wasn't Shanghai still acclaimed to be the Paris of the Far East?

Of course, the cities, the upper classes, the centers and groups are all parts of China, but they form only a very small part. The bigger part of China is where the peasants live, and where the lower classes of the urban masses reside. Only when you get to know these areas better can you see the overall picture of China, and understand the worries of the more educated. The peasants and the working classes are now being dragged away further and further from the developing society. Their blood is being drained slowly away. What should be the foundation of the country is now infested with poverty, harboring dissatisfaction, anger and corruption. The China that people see from the outside, however prosperous it may seem, is but a skyscraper built upon quicksand. It could collapse at any moment.

Reference for VOA article: http://www.voanews.com/Chinese/article.cfm?objectid=58C2797F-D8FC-40E6-964435451FB9C120&title=%CD%F5%C1%A6%D0%DB%C6%C0%C2%DB%A3%BA%C1%F7%C9%B3%C9%CF%B5%C4%C4%A6%CC%EC%B4%F3%CF%C3

Posting date: 9/18/2002
Original article date: 9/18/2002
Category: Open Forum
Translated on 9/12/2002
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2002/9/8/36240.html

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