The 11th National Day Party Building Poster of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People\’s Republic of China Template PSD

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EDITORIAL:

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The beginning of October 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of China, and in those seven decades, it has developed at a remarkable pace. Whether one likes or distrusts the reemergence of the so-called Middle Kingdom, the facts are indisputable, if not impressive.

The most noteworthy facts, of course, are economic. China’s real (that is, adjusted to inflation) per capita income increased 16 times from 1978 to 2014. That enabled China to virtually wipe out extreme poverty, which is defined as living below $2 a day. The extreme poor made up more than 88 percent of China’s population in 1981, and by 2013, that figure was just under 2 percent.

There are 620 US dollar billionaires in China, according to a South China Morning Post story published in late 2018. Perhaps the most famous among them is Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba whose net worth is estimated at about $40 billion.

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The Post also reported that in 1982, some 22 percent of the Chinese population were illiterate, but by 2010, that figure was down to 4 percent. Average life expectancy grew by 10 years in 2016, from 66 years in 1979. Household consumption grew by a factor of 90 times, from $49 billion in 1980 to $4.4 trillion in 2016.

As expected, China grew to be an important trading partner of the world, particularly of states in Southeast Asia. China is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ largest trading partner, accounting for more than 15 percent of total exports and imports, according to the regional bloc’s website.

Other side of the picture

As we all know, not everything about China is positive. That would be unrealistic.

Inside China, rapid development has not been without evironmental costs. From media reports, there are also concerns about restrictions on speech, political rights and even religious freedoms. Visitors to China notice that Facebook and Google are banned, although the locals find ways to access them. But to be fair to China, no country is without issues.

There are regional concerns that involve China also. The Philippines — along with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and even the island of Taiwan — has competing territorial claims with China in the South China (West Philippine) Sea. Of course, Japan has its own disputes with China, too. As China’s economy grew, so too has its military power and shadow over local and regional waters. No doubt, these issues will persist for years to come. But as we have said in this space before, we should not allow our differences to dictate the state of our relations. We should take care of all our interests, just as one should find ways to get along with a neighbor.

China also has a major role in keeping the region safe, particularly against threats from North Korea. In that regard, China can do more as that hermit state’s so-called big brother. North Korea, itself, may not have been a good little brother to China. The South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported earlier in April that North Korea attempted to sell submarine technology to Taiwan. The incident was also widely reported on the island. Even as one argues that the people of the island have the right to defend itself, this attempted sale shows how far North Korea is willing to go in order to fund its weapons of mass destruction.

These regional and other issues remind us not only about the benefits of friendly relations with China, but also about its role in keeping the peace in this part of the world. China, the Philippines and other nations need to work together to pursue our common goals of human development, and if need be, work in concert against those that threaten peace and progress.

In Filipino culture, it is customary to greet and extend best wishes to those celebrating their birthday. And so on China’s birthday, we wish the Chinese even greater prosperity and friendship. Clearly, China’s economic miracle has benefited the Philippines and many others in Southeast Asia. If we are to build on that, it is essential to also maintain our friendship.

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THE EDITOR

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