By Prof Samitha Hettige

The Communist Party approved the report presented by President Xi Jinping at the 20th National Congress last week. It indicates the willingness, vision and the path CPC is planning to raise China to the next level under his leadership. Rise of China in the 21^st century is the challenge of the millennium for the USA lead camp. Thus they have been offering alternatives to the Belt and Road Initiative and signing the millennium challenges cooperation agreement with states in the indo pacific. Offers from all should be accepted if they are beneficial. The discussions questioning China’s stability before the CPC sessions were proved baseless when the report stated China’s unwillingness to seek hegemony or engage in expansionism. Recent reports in western media about Chinese police stations overseas seems to be yet another attempt to prove the point but China and countries concerned have denied the allegation. Be it Sri Lankan beauties in New York or else any attempts to resolve/ prevent conflicts among a migrant community in win-win ways should be commended. Those who wish to use Chinese votes in other countries may wish to see Chinese living overseas criticizing China. It has similarities to SL related affairs which prevailed in those countries especially during the 30 year conflict and after. It is known that votes with SL roots are used for domestic politics in Europe. Patriotic Chinese may learn from the SL case study.

The Red Prince

Sri Lankans believe that mighty trees can be recognized from the first leaves of it as a plant. China’s Paramount leader Deng Xiaoping referred to son of then Deputy Prime Minister Xi Zhongxun as the “Red Prince”. As a young man in his early 20s Xi Jinping wrote more than 100 letters to eminent persons from all walks of life on his vision for his country.  China’s work force is approx one fifth of the world’s population. Those who had doubts about Xi Jinping’s ability to lead his human resource should read the letters he wrote as a young man to understand the vision and the strength behind the personality. As in Sri Lanka humans are China’s biggest resource and the strength due to proper guidance unlike in SL where it is merely a resource and not strength for economic expansion. Sri Lankans so far have preferred free meals. That preference was used wrongly taking SL to one meal or two meals a day status.  President Xi’s report the 20^th National Congress on implementing the workforce development strategy stresses the value of cultivating a workforce of high quality talent with integrity and professionalism. It also proposed to build international hubs for talent and innovation to promote better distribution and balanced development across regions with no rigid boundaries. This is an important message to Sri Lankan individuals and corporates who wish to move forward by attracting FDIs.

Lessons for the welfare system

Improving the social security system in China is another area Sri Lankans should study if they wish to reduce wastage to generate a trade surplus. Communist China was able to generate a trade surplus of more than four trillion USD whilst being a socialist republic. In China the social security system is a safety net which helps ensure social stability. According to President Xi’s report China will further improve the multi tiered social security system which covers its entire population (urban and rural) in fair, unified, reliable, well regulated, and sustainable ways. In SL so far the free meal attitude had made the population reject social security systems due to immaturity.

Way forward

China's fiscal revenue dropped approx. 6.5% yoy during the first nine months of 2022. Its fiscal revenue amounted to approx 2 trillion USD during this period. Excluding the impact of VAT credit refunds, fiscal revenue grew approx 4% from 2021 (Ref. Chinese sources). SL may have to partially come out of the welfare state practice if it’s to economically stabilize and lessons from socialist China should be studied. President Xi also stated that science based legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial justice and universal compliance with the law will be the guidelines for building a system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics in the new era. When analyzing the path since 1949, it is clear that China will use science to march forward. However, it’s a question if Sri Lankans wish to take a similar path. May be they are confused being democratic and socialist and with their vision and mission.

(Writer is an academic and a broadcaster. Views expressed are personal).