- China of today is defined by material affluence, presence of opportunities and apathy towards politics
Welcome to Beijing, China, the land of swanky cars, sky high buildings, folks in western clothing, no litter on the ground, hardly a soul loitering around, plush shopping malls, happy, curious faces either going to ‘shop till they drop’ or coming back from malls accompanied by hefty shopping bags, disciplined traffic and all things good, shiny, and new.
Beijing, the city of more than 20 million souls is a poster child of all that Chinese have achieved in few decades that took west to master in centuries. Industrialisation, urbanisation, rise and rise of middle classes coupled with a watchful state interested in almost every affair of life has bestowed upon China the unrivalled stability, material prosperity and steady progress envied by many.
The time of ‘China Miracle’, as they refer to it, has come. The greatest social experiment in history of mankind is underway. The jury is out. It is not for us to predict or prophesise, only the historian of future will spell out a verdict long after us.
Are Chinese headed to More’s utopia or a cross between Orwellian dystopia with Brave New World of Huxley awaits them on the other side of trance they are in is the ultimate question that begs an answer.
The modern day China is on the cusp of such great leap. The past is growing distant and getting blurred for the Middle Kingdom. The present is a bonanza
The New mangles Old in Middle Kingdom
When present is the product of past, it has depth and nuance. The reverse holds true if present is product of alien influences and result of an imported culture infused with local way of life. Introduction of new modes of production, ultimately, alters both earthly and sacred orders. Such developments weaken the customs, mores, traditions and values that held sway for centuries.
The modern day China is on the cusp of such great leap. The past is growing distant and getting blurred for the Middle Kingdom. The present is a bonanza, a carnival, an adrenaline fueled spree where 200 million strong middle class is earning RMBs and spending it on luxurious items like cars, clothing, perfumes and travelling.
Like all things good and all things rotten, this too will end. So, the good, wise denizens of China are enjoying it while it lasts. Two cheers for them.
Our CPEC-esque days and nights
‘A spectre is haunting our beloved land-the spectre of CPEC,’ many wise men warn us. In the beginning, mere two years back, things were looking good but then a new obsession reared its ugly head and gripped our imagination. For the ease of all, let’s convert this psychological bent into something more easy to grasp and name it ‘CPEC Syndrome’. What is CPEC Syndrome? Well, it is a condition where two groups of Pakistani individuals, apologists and naysayers, try to battle out their differences about billions of dollars’ worth Chinese investment through invoking future promise of progress (in case of apologists) and painful past parallels (in case of naysayers).
The naysayers confront the apologists by citing either opaqueness and Byzantine nature of the whole project or dare to venture an extra mile and term the whole CPEC enterprise as East-India Company 2.0.
The apologists, however, stick to their guns and remind all and sundry that China held Pakistan’s hand at a time when we were an international pariah. They nudge us that the energy projects, the road infrastructure, the overhauling of railways system, the economic zones, the Gwadar deep sea port, and other projects will prove to be an antidote to all that Pakistan needs to stand tall amidst the comity of nations.
Back in May, as reported by this daily, during 8th International Judicial Conference held here in Islamabad, a group titled ‘Regional, Economic Integration and Effective Dispute Resolution Mechanism in the Context of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’ asked for an introduction of Multimodal Transport Law and Infrastructure in the region to increase the significance of Pakistan’s position as a Transit State in the trade between Central Asian Republics. Specifically, the modernisation of the law on Carriage of Goods by Sea. Along with creation of a Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency at a regional level akin to the one established under World Bank. Appointment of Dispute Resolution Advisors, and making a dispute adjudication board.
Interestingly, the group called for amendment of Article 8 of the Agreement between Government of People’s Republic of China and Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Tax on Income, to make the distribution of tax revenues between both countries more equitable and to explicitly allocate the fiscal rights of both signatories to the agreement. It was also recommended that the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms should make their documents and agreements, made under CPEC, more accessible to the public at large.
… says Confucius
Let us wrap up this Column with a catchy quote from one of the wisest man ever to walk on the face of earth.
‘By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest,’ sayeth Confucius. No prize for guessing the route we choose to attain wisdom.