The meetings of the top American and Chinese leaders in Washington were arranged to iron out differences and formulate collaboration and commitment, to move from being foes to being friends
One message became clearly evident during last week’s historic visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to the United States: that the US government and the American people urgently need to reframe their views of China. A deep look at China, its history and tradition, reveal common aspiration and shared values with the US. The meetings of the top American and Chinese leaders in Washington were arranged to iron out differences and formulate collaboration and commitment, to move from being foes to being friends. However, now that the diplomatic ceremonies have taken place, and before they fade into memory, both governments must take advantage of the momentum built up by the talks and urge their respective governments to push forward policies that are driven by mutual respect and sustainable trust, to the significant benefit of both nations.
The true reason behind China’s economic rise is better told through 1.3 billion individual stories of modern Chinese individuals driven to improve their lives. Consider that entire generations of younger rural Chinese are leaving their home towns and migrating to the nation’s industrial centers to work long hours and under hard conditions, just to provide for their families and ensure that their children can enjoy a better life. These ‘migrant’ workers tend to complain far less and work far harder than their counterparts worldwide. In fact, the majority of China’s factory workers undertake their jobs with a strong sense of optimism and a belief that tomorrow will be better. Unlike other societies, China’s literacy rate is among the world’s highest. China’s respect for knowledge and education is deeply embedded in its culture.
[Reprinted with permission from The China Europe International Business School.]