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| Sunday, 26 June 2005 |
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Features |  |
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Preserves traditions and customs : China moves ahead by M.P. Muttiah Chinese Nationalist Leader, Chiang Kai Shek, attempted to destroy communists, with the warlord's armies and government troops in 1934. Nationalist troops armed with heavy artillery seiged the communist base - a settlement of about 100,000 men, women and children in mountainous Kiangsi province. Those who managed to escape began a journey under Mao Tsc Tung's leadership that became famous as the Long March, which lasted one year covering nearly 6,000 miles later in Yenan in the hills of northwestern China. The route led through rigged mountains and deserts. But the Long march was not over. Mao proclaimed the birth of People's Republic of China in October 1, 1949. The country had made significant advances under Mao. Famine was eradicated, health care was dramatically improved and illiteracy was almost eliminated. Agricultural reforms were successful enough to supply people's basic needs for food and clothing. Women were treated as the equals of men for the first time in China's 4,000 year history. Mao was the first leader in 150 years to unite the country. By the time of his death in September 1976, China had entered into the modern world. The new leaders focussed on economic and technological development. Teng Hsio-p'ing, a veteran of the Long March, emerged as the most powerful leader. Present Chinese leadership wants to strengthen its economic and other mutually beneficial relations with all countries, especially its South Asian neighbours. China's foreign policy is based on national development and improving the quality of life of its nearly two billion people. Development efforts A group of South Asian journalists who visited the People's China had an opportunity to see for themselves the enormous development efforts and foreign policy initiatives initiated by the country. Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang at an interaction with the journalists at the Foreign Ministry said that China had forged economic and other relations with all countries and it wanted to further enhance them. Guofang said the UN system should be reformed ensuring equality of all member-countries and any reform should be conducive to developing ones. Stating China's position on veto, he said that would-be new members of the Security Council should be given that right. He said that India should play a vital role in the UN system and stressed the importance of the strategic partnership between the countries along their borders. The Chinese Minister said that South Asian countries faced economic problems that had to be addressed as the prime concern. The Chinese Minister said that his country was for the elimination of all nuclear arsenal and those weapons should not be used against non-nuclear states. South Asian countries needed energy resources to meet their rapid industrialisation and improving people's living standard. He appraised the improved relations between India and Pakistan in recent times. He called for further cooperation between South Asian countries and China. The minister said that China would not tolerate any attempt to separate Taiwan from the mainland. The recent visit of Taiwan's Opposition leader was a significant event. Taiwan could function as a Special Administrative Region of China. He said China wanted to reunify the country peacefully and increase people-to-people contact. He pointed out that the peaceful reunification would bring peace and stability not only to Taiwan Strait but also would best serve the interests of all countries including the United States. National development and reform Deputy Secretary General of the National Development and Reform Commission Dr. Cao Yushu said that they were concentrating on research in macro-economy, management of foreign investment, price fixing and the co-ordination of macro-economy. He added that 90 per cent of prices were fixed by market forces and 10 per cent by the State. The government certified only 13 categories of products related to education and electricity. He said that China saw $60 billion foreign investment last year. He invited South Asian countries to invest in China. Dr. Cao said that China has with 3.6 million private enterprises and 189 state enterprises. Common problems Vice-Secretary General of the Yunnan Province People's Government Cui Zhitao in an interaction with the journalists said that South Asia and China shared much in common and face same development problems. Therefore, they had to take similar stand in international issues, he said. Economic cooperation between South Asian countries and Yunnan Province is on the rise. He said that one-third of the population in the province belonged to 26 ethnic groups, even some of them have only 5,000 persons. The Vice Secretary General said that in 1949 they were not able to alleviate poverty, and in 1990 launched a successful war against absolute poverty. No discrimination Vice Mayor of Lijiang Municipal People's Government Yang Yiben is the only woman to hold such a high post in China. She said that all ethnic groups were equal. As a Naxi ethnic individual she faced no discrimination since her birth. She added that preferential treatment to minority ethnic groups had further strengthened the unity of the people. She said the Municipal government had considerably increased public medical service in the rural areas. Religious freedom South Asian journalists visited the Buddhist Academy of China. They met the current President Zhao Pchu who said that during the past two decades, BAC had trained 310 monks in probationally in undergraduate and graduate programs. Since 1981, 28 monks had been sent to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, England and Canada to study Buddhism. He said there were all round assistance from the government to propagate Buddhist philosophy. Modern China, while preserving its old traditions and customs, continues its long march to achieve greater development and better life for its people breaking the great wall of control in economy. |
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