by JP-15, 10 January 2008

Back in Primary 2, on an extremely rare occasion, my aunt, who could only speak Mandarin, came from Mainland China to visit us here in Hong Kong. When she began speaking with me, I shunned the conversation. Not that I was shy, but that while I am an overseas Chinese, I attend International Schools, and at the time I could only command limited Mandarin. As such, I could barely understand what she was talking about. It was an embarrassing moment, especially for my parents.

Largely due to that incident, my parents required me to learn Mandarin. As part of this learning process, they assigned me to read two articles about China in a Chinese newspaper everyday. This looks simple today. But at that time, I remember complaining – endlessly – saying that doing so was downright impossible. At that time, I would fret at the thought of learning Chinese. I would fret at the thought of learning about China.

Finally, one day, my father left a piece of paper on top of my desk that read: 世上无难事，只怕有心人 – meaning if you undertake a task with all your heart, anything can be accomplished. These words resonated with me; and I decided to give it a try.

Fast forward - it has been almost 10 years since. Today, I read and write Mandarin fluently. Today, it has become a habit for me to pick up the Chinese newspaper and read all the articles related to China, as I have developed a keen interest in it. However, with the increased exposure, I have found China to be a country of extreme polar differences.

Today, China is the third largest luxury goods market in the world. Yet, it is also one of the largest counterfeit markets in the world. By the end of the year, China is expected to surpass Germany as the third largest economy in the world. But, China has one of the lowest per capita GDP worldwide. China has the largest foreign exchange reserves in the world – a mind boggling US$ 1.4 trillion – yet it has nearly 700 million people living on or below subsistence level. China espouses the Confucian doctrine – a doctrine that places the golden rule at its core. Yet it also has one of the world’s worst human rights records. Evidently, China is a country of huge extremes.

China strives to become a world superpower. And it will. This is not the issue. The issue is: can China resolve those extreme differences and become a responsible superpower?

First of all, let’s talk about pollution. If you’ve been to Beijing, upon exiting the airport, you’ll be welcomed by a blanket of grey haze. By the end of this year, China will become the largest source of greenhouse gases – making it the largest polluter in the world. Moreover, a World Bank report entitled “Cost of Pollution in China” found that, each year, about 760,000 babies prematurely die due to the water and air pollution in China. Consider that statistic: 760, 000 premature deaths – that’s about 10% of our HK population. This sort of news is highly disturbing, and extremely horrifying.

The pollution issue is also going to affect the way China’s prized Olympics is going to be run. The President of the International Olympic Committee has expressed grave concern about China’s terrible pollution and has said that if conditions do not improve immediately, Olympic outdoor events such as the popular 110m hurdles, which Liu Xiang won with so much national pride, will have to be moved to a venue outside of Beijing. This would be devastating for China, as now people will potentially lose the opportunity to watch their favorite outdoor sports unless effective environmental change happens in time.

Secondly, China’s human rights record is also appalling. A study conducted by the Far Eastern Review showed that there are about 20 million child laborers under the age of 16. It is almost unimaginable to think that 20 million children – which is nearly three times our Hong Kong population – are deprived of their right to a proper education and proper physical care. Instead, they are being forced to work in “sweatshops” under painful, excruciating conditions.

Those are just two problems out of the many that China faces, but undoubtedly among the most important. I would like to offer suggestions by which China can effectively solve these problems.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
1. Firstly, the government must act quickly on enacting laws that set the limits of pollutant emission. Legislation should include hefty fines and penalties for violators, including revoking their business licenses. However, legislation is only 50% of the problem. The other 50% is the will to enforce it. For example, the authorities could set up a special bureau that will periodically check the operating conditions of the different factories to ensure they comply with the set standards.

China is actually creating several initiatives to promote the creation and use of more environmentally friendly technology. The most prominent is the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto protocol. Under the CDM, projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions earn credits, which can be purchased by rich countries as they reduce their own emissions. The Chinese government has already approved 524 such projects and accounted for 61% of the CDM market last year. One of the results of that is increased usage of alternative sources of energy, namely solar energy. It is on the right track – but must keep its foot on the gas. Time is running out.

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2. Secondly, on human rights, one of the major problems with child slavery is a lack of education. Right now, devious men will approach impoverished families and tell the mother or father that they can provide their children with a great education, and real-life work experience with great pay. These parents, driven by desperation and more importantly a lack of knowledge, immediately sign their name on a form that they cannot even read. And this form states that the child might be bonded to that “slave owner“ for up to 10 years without salary, or that the child would live in whatever conditions the factory owner sets. The government should start educational programs for those people who are vulnerable; perhaps someone can approach families and educate them about the actions of these despicable “enslaver of children”, pass out leaflets, tell children to be careful, etc.

Education should also be expanded to the general public about the issues they face. Right now, the central government is concealing a lot of statistics about some social ills such as the environment and child labor. I suggest that China should start engaging their citizens to be part of the solution, and educate them on the need to control greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy consumption at home and at work. Let them know that the world is watching. Once the citizens know that they are being scrutinized by the outside world, they will begin to wonder how they can help China improve its image, especially for the upcoming Olympics.

In conclusion, I am extremely proud of China’s ascension as the world’s most robust economy. However, I cannot be proud of a country that destroys its environment. While I love China’s efficient government, I cannot be proud of a country that fails to guarantee the rule of law. While I love China’s ability to manufacture so many products for the world, I cannot be proud of a country that uses the blood, sweat and tears of children to produce them.

China is definitely on its way to becoming a world superpower, but to become a responsible superpower takes courage and determination, and the active participation of all of us, regardless of whether you’re a mainland Chinese, a Hong Kong Chinese, an overseas Chinese, or simply a China enthusiast. It will be a long and tedious process. But, just as my father wrote in that piece of paper, 世上无难事，只怕有心人. With perseverance, everything is possible. To China I say, “Persevere!”

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Download the full World Bank report, “Cost of Pollution in China” at this website: http://go.worldbank.org/FFCJVBTP40