By Prof. Samitha Hettige

Paramount Leader Deng Xiaoping who turned the course of China & the world (born 22^nd August 1904) is remembered on his 120^th birth anniversary. Before implementing economic reforms in China (1979) he got his next generation leaders to study nearly 12 countries including Sri Lanka which started reforming its economy in 1978. After the studies Shenzhen was selected as the first location to attract FDIs. It is believed that Deng pointed at the small fishing harbor Shenzhen on the map (near Hong Kong still with British) & said that it should be greater than Hong Kong one day. Deng sent nearly ten thousand Chinese youth to western universities with full scholarships to train the workforce needed to steer China in the 21^st century. Despite anti China predictions on the collapsing of Chinese economy & other dire scenarios since 1979, Chinese followed Deng with a focus & Shenzhen soon became a mega city with a GDP higher than Singapore (Ref Media).

Ten years after China implemented economic reforms, President Gorbachev attempted reforming the Soviet economy with ‘Glasnost’ (openness & transparency). He implemented the top-down approach making changes at the top despite Deng’s advice resulting in the fall of the mighty Soviet Union. Political analysts believe that if Gorbachev followed Deng’s bottom-up approach, objectives of those who didn’t want a powerful Soviet Russia wouldn’t be a reality.

At a time when the silent majority is concerned on peace & stability after the election, Sri Lankans may try to understand the objectives of the conflict provocative elements behind civil unrests during the fall of Soviet Russia & especially in Belt & Road partner countries. On the same lines in the run up to 21^st September polls, social media may be used to highlight poverty to spread hatred & violence. Deng’s view on poverty is hence, worth analyzing. He viewed that socialism isn’t poverty & he believed socialism can lead to prosperity for the people. His roadmap was socialism with Chinese characteristics & believed that China should take from the political systems of other states if it helps China increase productivity & improve living standards of the Chinese. China is the only state which practices & profits from one country many systems method of governance.

Lessons for Sri Lankans

Chinese socialism continues to be dynamic ushering good elements to other countries with the Belt & Road Initiative. These include; private ownership of property, intellectual property rights, shareholding reforms & stock market access etc. Presidential candidates may read about Deng’s willingness to learn & how he made his people most willing to learn. He guided his people to be eager, committed & strong to transform to be better. Sri Lankans may learn from Chinese characteristics especially towards September 21^st so the next five years will see new characteristics attracting FDIs for economic stability. It will change the processes in non violent ways with the time tested bottom-up approach. Deng Xiaoping's legacy shall continue to benefit China & the human civilization for generations to come.

If all one billion of us undertake multiparty elections, we will run into a civil war, taking precedence over all China’s problems is stability – Deng Xiaoping