On one hand, China identifies itself as a poor, emerging nation. This line of thinking implies special assistance. On the other, China wants to be a self-sufficient global citizen and leader.
The Chinese have been along on a free ride so far. We have been the bad guy. America does the heavy lifting in foreign policy and make the tough decisions—and protects shipping lanes. China keep its currency undervalued and benefits from emerging market status. Eventually China needs to become a responsible, engaged stakeholder in the international system and help solve international problems.
The conundrum is historically China has been an insular nation. “We build walls to keep people out, not invade foreign lands,” was how a businessman put it to me on an overnight train.
But the only way China will become a leader is if it takes the lead economically. And that will require innovation. And that require an informed, creative, question-asking citizenry. Qian Xuesen, the man who is credited with developing China’s atomic bomb, nearing death, was reported to have told China’s prime minister that what China most needed was innovation. “We’re not producing any creative people. We are making only technicians.”
The government wants advanced education without encouraging people to think.
In today’s globalize world, can you become a great power if you don’t allow your people to think? The Party wants to create a modern society. But it doesn’t want to allow too strong a civil society of churches, unions, associations, and other social organization needed to build a modern nation. It does not want citizens using the Internet to access sensitive information, but it needs technology to become the modern country it wants to be. The government needs to promote knowledge in order to compete, but knowledge is dangerous. It needs empowered people in order to become strong, but it can’t let the people be too empowered.
