The Chinese dream and why it will succeed.

The “Chinese dream” is an initiative of president Xi Jinping which he proclaimed by saying "The great revival of the Chinese nation is the greatest Chinese Dream." It is a vision that seeks to promote the idea of building a moderately prosperous society and realize national rejuvenation in China.

The dream is focused on the country’s prosperity and people’s happiness. The Chinese people and their leaders dream of building a moderately prosperous society by about 2020 and making China a fully developed nation by about 2049.

The “Chinese dream” is bound to succeed because it is anchored on the Chinese people and it resonates with the dreams of all the Chinese people. The “China dream” is already planted deeply within the Chinese people’s hearts. With the passage of time and China’s reforms over the past three decades, a conducive environment for success has been created and the nation is highly optimistic and ready for the task of  achieving the “Chinese dream”.

Over the past 30 years of reform and opening up, under the motivation and inspiration of pursuing dreams, the Chinese economy has seen an average annual growth rate of 9.9 %, bringing extreme changes to the living conditions and the way of live for the Chinese people.

With its GDP ranking only second in the world, China has entered the ranks of middle-income countries, which in itself is a dream come true and considered a miracle in the history of world economic development.

These results reflect the Chinese nation’s everlasting spirit of unity of purpose among the Chinese people, a laid down solid, material foundation for realizing the “Chinese dream”. For now, the China dream is no longer a grand slogan. It is rooted in reality, as a result of real struggles, hard work and preparation for future success.

The Chinese dream is not a utopian dream. It is practical and lofty, straightforward and profound. It reflects the concept of national governance held by the new generation of leaders in China. It embraces a new era of great development which brings more opportunities to China and the rest of the world.

Since entering the modern era, China dream has always been the vision that guides the Chinese nation in forging ahead; the steady conviction that propels the people towards a better and brighter future. China’s struggles over the past 100 hundred years have proven an irrefutable truth-only when the people’s dreams are factored in the nations dream, can dreams come true.

Everybody’s hearts carry dreams and hopes of a better life in the future. The Chinese dream is the dream of the whole nation. President Xi Jinping expressed this at the 12^th National People’s Congress that “The China dream, after all, is the dream of the people. We must closely rely on the people to realize it, and we must incessantly bring benefits to the people.”  Every individual’s lively dreams permeate in the journey of life of the rest of the nation and together, they build up into a “Chinese dream”.

Today, the Chinese people understand that the  future and destiny of their individual dreams is closely linked to the country and the nation. Every one’s dreams are highly consistent with and overlap the dreams of the country and the nation. Therefore, when individuals are in pursuit of their personal dreams, they are also in the process of realizing the dreams of the country and the nation.

They are therefore committed to realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It will not be easy and challenges abound. It will require ingenuity and real improvements in productivity and innovation to help China overcome the challenges ahead.

Fortunately, the “China dream” implies both the glory at the end and the hardships during the journey. It is widely acknowledged that attaining this dream is no longer impossible, but the weight is heavy and the road is still long requiring concrete actions and perseverance. 

The tenacity and dedication that has been shown by the Chinese people in pursuing their individual dreams and the commitment that has been shown by the leaders in China only mean one thing;  aspirations for the “Chinese dream” runs deep within the Chinese nation and everyone is focused through hard work and diligence.

Kenya’s economic and trade relationship with China is beneficial

China is currently Kenya’s most important development partner. It has made significant contributions to our country’s development by partnering and offering much needed support in various sectors of our economy. Our friendship and cooperation has grown exponentially over the last decade making great achievements in the fields of economy, trade and investment.

China has impressively implemented projects that aim to give Kenya a strong development foundation and ensure economic sustainability. Its companies have played a leading role in infrastructure development in transportation, communication and energy sectors.

Notable completed projects include the Thika Superhighway, the new Unit 4 Passenger Terminal at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and Berth No.19 at the port of Mombasa. They have also drilled 26 steam production wells at Olkaria and implemented 2 projects for constructing power transmission lines and substations.

Besides, Chinese companies have signed new contracts for the construction of upcoming large scale projects such as Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway, high grand falls dam project, the Greenfield passenger terminal complex and associated works at JKIA. All these projects are aimed at improving the Kenyan economy.

Apart from project contracting in infrastructure, investment in business is a more constructive way to achieve common development on a much larger scale. By the end of 2012, China’s contractual investment in Kenya was 470 million USD and the actual investment was 379 million USD.

The investment covers real estate development, vehicle assembly, household electrical appliances, light industry, building materials, resource survey and exploration, food and beverages, tourism etc. Last year, China became the second largest source of foreign direct investment in Kenya.

As a result, the trend of Chinese manufacturers moving into Kenya brought with it innumerable employment and innovation opportunities for the ever-growing Kenyan human capital. Estimates reveal that local employees take upto 80% to 90% of staff hired by Chinese companies.

The bilateral trade volume between China and Kenya hit a record 2.841 billion USD in 2012; a 16.7% increase compared to 2011. Our trade volume has continued to increase at an annual rate of 30 percent since 2010.

Although there is a trade imbalance, China has been taking measures to boost and accommodate an increasing number of Kenyan imports. They have removed tariff barriers for some of our imports into China and have been keen to extend tariff exemption initiatives.

China’s imports from Kenya include key agricultural products such as leather, plant cellulose products, coffee, black tea, and so on. This is definitely a move aimed at leveling the playing field for our bilateral trade.

There has also been a shift in the content of Chinese exports to our country. Apart from cracking down on counterfeit and low quality products to Kenya, China is trying to move away from light industrial goods and is focusing on the exports of machinery, transport equipment for agriculture and industrial production, the service sector  and technology that Kenya urgently needs. This is a significant opportunity for our country to access advanced technology and machinery is vital if we are to meet our economic and social development goals.

The Chinese government is now urging its manufacturers and industries to shift bases and establish their industries here in Kenya to boost our industrial capacity and access the wider east African region. Kenya is a regional trade and economic hub and therefore, a strategic destination for Chinese industries and businesses wishing to expand and access the wider regional market.

Several Chinese manufacturers are already setting up local production plants in Kenya, shifting from the previous strategy in which they supplied the domestic consumer market with goods imported from their home country. This will increase the export capacity of Kenya to China and other regions. It also presents an opportunity for skills transfer and possibility of upgrading our local enterprises.

Besides manufacturing, China is now laying emphasis on the opportunities in the Tourism and Agricultural sectors. The growth of service sectors such as tourism and emphasis on Kenya’s comparative advantage would greatly help reduce the trade imbalance with China.

China has provided landing rights to Kenya Airways in several cities in China and is now operating direct flights to Hong Kong (China) and Guangzhou in southern China from Nairobi. In addition to this, Kenya was granted Preferred Tourist Destination in 2004, doubling tourist arrivals from China.

Such initiatives boost the Kenyan economy by enhancing not just the earnings of the Airlines but also earnings for the tourism and agricultural sectors which are the leading foreign exchange earners for Kenya. They have facilitated the movement of tourists from China as well as agricultural products from Kenya.

To further boost tourism, CCTV, the largest television channel in China, recorded a documentary of the landscape and beautiful scenery of Kenya and its magnificent wildlife. The documentary titled “Glamorous Kenya” was aired every day in China on CCTV documentary channel 9 and the effects were amazing. Tourist arrivals from China rose sharply from only 28, 000 in 2011 to over 45,000 in the year 2012.

China and Kenya have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship since the establishment of diplomatic relations 50 years ago. There is no doubt that we have benefited greatly from this friendship and cooperation. Our two countries should continue to cooperate with each other with an aim of enhancing our mutual development and elevate our friendship to achieve our development goals.

China's Diplomatic Philosophy is endearing to African states

“China beats the west to win respect by Kenyans”. This is the news title that appeared recently on a local daily Kenyan newspaper. According to a survey conducted across the country by consumer insight Kenya, China has emerged as the main source of inspiration for Kenyans. This must be the case for the rest of Africa as these kinds of headlines are repeated across African dailies.

Africa traditionally looked to the west for inspiration. However, Since China entered the fray; the tide has slowly shifted in China’s favor to a point where the west is almost totally eclipsed from the main arena of things diplomatic. China’s secret lies in its diplomatic philosophy that endears to African states.

Whereas in International relations, states relate to each other based on national interests, perceptions and philosophical thinking plays a big part in shaping their foreign policies. Philosophy provides the theoretical guidance for foreign relations, while activities of foreign affairs are a practice under the guidance of diplomatic philosophical theory.

Different countries have different philosophical foundations for foreign affairs that shape their policies on world situations and international relations. As Africa becomes more assertive in the International arena, it responds accordingly to the various diplomatic philosophies towards it. An analysis of the west’s diplomatic philosophy in general as well as towards Africa explains why African States and the African people are turning to China.

The United States conforms to pragmatism and cherishes the values of freedom. It proclaims that the current world order is problematic and it will not acquire security if it retreats within its own borders. Despite complaints against anti-terrorism laws and interference, it has remained firm and unapologetic. “We will choose to act confidently in pursuing the enemies of freedom.  Every step toward freedom in the world makes our country safer, so we will act boldly in freedom’s cause”. This is America’s diplomatic philosophy that signifies domination, unilateral actions and inequality in relations.

The Germans uphold rational and technical philosophy. They believe that globalization, Democracy and European civilization, together with western values; economic, social and political system is good for the entire globe. German leaders have famously proclaimed that NATO has become a global alliance of public interest and that it should be used as a political instrument for making the world a secure environment. This sends shivers to every African leader and ordinary Africans who have seen the fall of regimes through military interventions. 

Russian leaders put forward that, in dealing with foreign relations, Russia is returning to “realism from Idealism”; giving more consideration to the interests of Russia and its International Image. This new philosophy has improved Russia’s image in Africa, especially when they have opposed sanctions targeting poor African countries.

French leaders’ philosophy is more of diversity in international exchanges and multilateralism. This has made it difficult for African states to predict it responses to international matters. However, its involvement in the ousting of Libyan ex-dictator Muammar Gaddafi has seen it labeled a rogue power by its critics in Africa.

China’s history and evolution has always had a bearing on Africa. For thousands of years, it had a reputation of a civilized country that upholds harmony and propriety. Its history resonates with Africa and its quick rise in stature offers great lessons and inspiration to African states. Its history of being colonized by various powers, poverty stricken and isolation have shaped its diplomatic philosophy. An important ideological foundation is the cultural tradition centering on “harmony and conformity” in today’s world outlook. 

China’s success in Africa is an indication that it has a sober understanding and a clear assessment of the international situation, especially with regard to Africa. In terms of policy guiding exchange with African countries, China’s diplomatic philosophy is expressed as friendly, based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation. Its major success lies in the principle of equality, non-interference and mutual development. 

China’s activities in Africa and local attitudes have been well documented by Deborah Brautigam’s book, the dragon’s gift. Brautigam observes that Africans are generally receptive to China’s developmental approach. That Africans approve one developing country helping another, “the poor helping the poor”; they value the longstanding connections built over decades with their Chinese partners; and they feel that China shows them far more respect than paternalistic Westerners.

China is putting forward proposals for a harmonious world, a just world with no wars and power politics. It claims that it seeks international political democracy as opposed to domination, fairness and justice, observance of international conventions and friendly and harmonious existence between countries. Whether or not China is genuine in its calls, the general diplomatic philosophy is the catalyst for its success in Africa.

Sino-Kenya relations should now focus on Agriculture as a Priority

China and Kenya relations are at an all time high. The two countries have established mutually beneficial relationships in various sectors of the economy. However, as a matter of priority, the focus must now shift to the agriculture sector as a step to the next level of developmental cooperation.

Agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy and central to the country’s development strategy. Although the country seeks to diversify its economy, agriculture continues to dominate and play a major role in Kenya’s development.

It is estimated that the agricultural sector employs more than 75 percent of the workforce and accounts for approximately 51 percent of Kenya’s gross domestic product (GDP). 
 

Kenya is a leading global producer of high quality tea, coffee and fresh produce. However, with a population increase of approximately one million per year, combined with diminishing agricultural productivity and diminishing arable land, the country faces critical challenges in terms of food security.

China, despite having a huge population and also being affected by the impacts of Climate change, seem to be stable in food security. More than 95 percent of the grains consumed in China are produced domestically. Its hybrid rice technology is a world leader. Kenya would want to learn from China through capacity building and technology and information transfer.

China being Kenya’s important development partner, can contribute some of its experience in agricultural development. Although various steps have been made in the Sino-Kenya agricultural cooperation, there is a lot of potential in this sector for both countries.

During the China-Africa Agricultural Forum held in Beijing, China in 2010, Former vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka said there was need for Chinese firms to invest in setting up of farm machinery manufacturing plants in Kenya and called for technology transfer in irrigation farming, seed technology, and mechanization of agriculture as well as agro-processing for value addition.

However, the problem not only lies in growing technologies, farming machineries, seeds or fertilizer usage, but the fact that Kenya does not have incentive policies to encourage farmers to grow grains. In this regard, China has set a good example.

China implemented favorable and protective policies for its farmers to produce more. The government subsidized some state owned companies to purchase the domestic grown produce at higher and more stable prices than the market prices. 

It is worth noting that the Chinese government has already turned to take more efficient and sustainable actions to strengthen the ties with Kenya in agricultural field. Training programs and technology transfer can play an important role in China-Kenya agricultural cooperation. Probably the best agricultural technologies for transfer from China to Africa are water and soil related technologies. 

China offers solutions especially for small-scale farmers, including water saving and augmenting techniques, tillage and planting methods, soil enhancing methods such as mulching, and the maximization of fertilizer usage by soil testing and application techniques. Research on mechanization techniques, and techniques including rural energy sources, and a more thorough investigation of Chinese aquaculture, also could provide valuable lessons for Africa.

Last year, a group of dryland agricultural scientists from Lanzhou University paid a series of visits to Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute and the University of Nairobi to find ways of working together to enhance food security in Kenya. 

The role of government and the incentives given to farmers to undertake the soil and water conservation activities was discussed at length. The delegation noted that the rainfall conditions were similar and the technologies would undergo testing and demonstration before up scaling to farmers.

With the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa cooperation (FOCAC), agricultural cooperation between China and Africa has been intensified and Kenya needs to take advantage and learn as much as it can from the Chinese experience.

Kenya and China already have a good foundation in Agricultural cooperation that only needs to be enhanced.  The establishment of the third Confucius institute in Kenya that will focus on training locals in agriculture is a good start. 

Apart from technology and skills transfer, the government should consider ways of motivating and encouraging farmers and other key stakeholders in the agricultural sector in a bid to boost productivity and effectively manage the industry to boost the country’s overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

China in Ten Words: By Yu Hua: Guest to My Word!!

Contemporary China has established a blistering pace of economic development that has vaulted it past Japan to become the world's second largest economy. Some analysts project that it will surpass the U.S. as the world's largest economy within a generation. But all rapid change leaves a path of destruction and distress and China's success has left in its wake uneasiness and stress, which has been memorably articulated by award-winning author and commentator Yu Hua. Any comparison of China's current situation with any part of America's history is, of course, problematic and flawed, and the differences outweigh the similarities. However, in some respects, China's current stress faintly reflects the angst and dissatisfaction that resonated through American society in the late 1800s, the so-called Gilded Age, a period of unmatched economic achievement in America during which it vaulted past Britain to become the world's largest economy:

"In the thirty-odd years since Mao's death China has fashioned an astonishing economic miracle, but the price it has paid is even more astounding. When I left South Africa at the end of a visit during the 2010 World Cup, the duty-free shop at Johannesburg's airport was selling vuvuzelas -- Chinese-made plastic horns -- for the equivalent of 100 yuan each, but on my return home I learned that the export price was only 2.6 yuan apiece. One company in Zhejiang manufactured 20 million vuvuzelas but ended up making a profit of only about 100,000 yuan.    

"This example gives a sense of China's lopsided development: year after year chemical plants will dump industrial waste into our rivers, and although a single plant might succeed in gener­ating a thirty-million-yuan boost to China's GDP, to clean up the rivers it has ruined will cost ten times that amount. An authority I respect has put it this way: China's model of growth is to spend 100 yuan to gain 10 yuan in increased GDP. Environmental degradation, moral collapse, the polarization of rich and poor, pervasive corruption -- all these things are constantly exacerbating the contradictions in Chinese society. More and more we hear of mass protests in which hundreds or even thousands of people will burst into a government compound, smashing up cars and setting fire to buildings.

"Many Chinese have begun to pine for the era of Mao Zedong, but I think the majority of them don't really want to go back in time and probably just feel nostalgic. Although life in the Mao era was impoverished and restrictive, there was no widespread, cruel competition to survive, just empty class struggle, for actually there were no classes to speak of in those days and so struggle mostly took the form of sloganeering and not much else. People then were on an equal level, all alike in their frugal lifestyles; as long as you didn't stick your neck out, you could get through life quite uneventfully.

"China today is a completely different story. So intense is the competition and so unbearable the pressure that, for many Chinese, survival is like war itself. In this social envi­ronment the strong prey on the weak, people enrich them­selves through brute force and deception, and the meek and humble suffer while the bold and unscrupulous flourish. Changes in moral outlook and the reallocation of wealth have created a two-tiered society, and this in turn generates social tensions. So in China today there have emerged real classes and real class conflict.

"After Mao, Deng Xiaoping drew on his own personal prestige to implement reforms and pursue an open-door policy, but in his final years he came to reflect on the para­dox that even more problems had emerged after develop­ment than existed before it. Perhaps this is precisely why Mao keeps being brought back to life. Not long ago a public opinion poll asked people to anticipate their reaction if Mao were to wake up today. Ten percent thought it would be a bad thing, 5 percent thought it would have no impact on China or the world, and 85 percent thought it would be a good thing. I am unclear about the sample's demographics, but since the respondents were all Internet users, I suspect they were mostly young people. Chinese youth today know very little about Mao Zedong, so their embracing the idea of Mao's resurrection tells us something about the mood of the age. Gripped by the zeitgeist, people of diverse back­grounds and disparate opinions find a common channel for their discontent and -- half in earnest, half in jest -- act out a ritual of restoring the dead to life."

Author: Yu Hua
Title: China in Ten Words
Publisher: First Anchor Books
Date: Copyright 2011 by Yu Hua
Pages: 24-26

Understanding the Chinese Political Culture

Most Kenyans and generally, most people around the world wrongly assume that the Chinese political system is a “one party” system that is undemocratic and non-representative. Very few people are aware of the fact that there exists other political parties that share power with the ruling Communist party of China and that elections are held periodically to elect representatives to the various organs of government through which people exercise state power.

China’s political system varies slightly from the western style democratic political systems. Its basic structure consists of the people’s congress system, the multi-party cooperation and political consultation system and the regional autonomy system under the unified leadership of the Communist Party of China.

The Chinese people exercise state power through the people’s Congress system. It consists of the National people’s congress (NPC) and the local people’s congress. Therefore, the people’s congress system is basically China’s fundamental political system.

The People’s Congress system is featured by adherence to the principle of democratic centralism where the people enjoy democratic rights, while state power is exercised in a centralized and unified manner. Deputies to the people’s congress at all levels are elected. They represent people from all ethnic groups, regions, and social strata.

When the congress meets, elected representatives air their views fully and raise inquiries in the interest of the people they represent and the government at all levels and its affiliated departments are duty-bound to respond and address their concerns and queries.

The country operates under a multi-party cooperation and political consultation system that the state uses to adopt important measures bearing on the national good and people’s well being. The Communist party of China (CPC), as the party in power, consults with representatives of all political parties, as well as those without party affiliations.

Multiparty cooperation and political consultation take two principal forms; one is the Chinese people’s political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Consultative meetings and forums with the participation of people from non-Communist parties and people without party affiliations, at the invitation of the ruling party, Communist party of China.

The CPPCC National committee is elected for a five year term and the members are responsible for auditing the National People’s Congress (NPC), democratic supervision and participation in deliberations and administration of state affairs.

Every year, the leaders of the highest organ of the governing Communist Party of China, the central committee, convene consultative meetings with leaders of the non-communist parties and people’s elected representatives of the people to forums that focus on major state policies.

The country also operates under a regional ethnic autonomy system where minorities live in compact communities with organs of self-government well established under the unified leadership of the state. The constitution and the law on regional ethnic autonomy, adapted in 1984 at the second session of the six National People’s Congress, is the basic law that guarantees the implementation of regional ethnic autonomy system.

The same law guarantees the basic political rights and interest of the citizens, including the right to vote and stand for election; freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association and of demonstration; freedom of religious belief and the right to criticize and make suggestions regarding any state organ or functionary and exercise supervision over matters of the state.

The central government actively aids the ethnic autonomous areas with funds and other materials to facilitate the development of local economies. As masters of their own areas, minority people exercise autonomous power and administer their own internal affairs.  The heads or chairpersons of the autonomous regions and their subordinates are required to be citizens of the community and region exercising autonomy.

Whereas the Chinese democratic political system varies slightly with the western democratic system, it is the system that the Chinese people and their leaders deem fit for their local conditions. After experimenting with the western style democratic system after the revolution of 1911, and later replacing it with the Kuomintang’s one-party dictatorship, the Chinese people opted for a hybrid democratic and cooperative system after both experiments failed. It is the inevitable choice in respect to China’s historical development that seems fit for China’s local conditions.

The Chinese people went through suppression and persecutions, class rivalry and alliances, unhealthy and disruptive political competitions and endless chaos. They wanted a system that promoted cohesion among various groups and interests; including political parties, ethnic groups, religious and social groups. This eventually led to forging of bonds of unity, national dialogue and consultations that culminated in a hybrid system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.