Commentary

6th June 1999

Learning from the Chinesee

By Mervyn de Silva

Swiftly the years
Beyond recall
Solemn the stillness
Of this fair morning.

The Chinese have their own sense of time. Right now, Chinese foreign policy makers are preparing for UNCTAD X which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand in February 2000. The conference will discuss the consequences of globalisation. Why?

The Chinese leader Zhu Rongii answering questions from foreign media men, just prior to his recent visit to the United States said:

"Tensions and imbalances of a systemic nature have arisen, and given the high degree of interdependence, the risk of financial upheavals spreading across other countries and regions has greatly increased." No doubt he had in mind the recent crisis in South-East Asia, which started in Thailand and spread to such countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and even Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore. At the meeting with the journalists, the following transpired:

(Q) Is it worthwhile for you, China, to befriend the U.S. even if they do not seem to like you?

(A) Since the exchange of visits between the heads of states of China and the U.S. the two countries have started to work on building a constructive strategy.

The momentum of the growth of the Sino-US relationship has been quite good. However, due to various reasons, which I do not see the need to mention, there has emerged an anti-China trend in the U.S. which has caused concern from our side (Wasn't diplomacy invented by the Chinese?).

On second thoughts he added:

"The momentum of the growth of the Sino-US relationship has been quite good. I do not think that in paying a visit to the US I will step into a minefield"

And yet, there is a new climate with the new factor of Japan. And Asia- China,Japan and India will shape the "new" world order in a new century.

"The modern age has finally dawned in Japan" says Nidori Ashida, president of the professional womens' coalition for sexuality.

The minister of health has finally approved the use of the pill. But this victory of the Womens Liberation Front has been overshadowed by a tough move by the National Diet, the parliament.

The shock is to the Diet and the all-powerful business community. Following an American idea in a similar crisis, the US Resolution and Trust Corporation, to buy and process bad loans.

Will it work in the long term? That's what the Japanese media, the press, in particular urge the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LPD) to do.

Japanese analyst Michiyo Nakamoto reminds the administration that a powerful economy creates a strong currency but not necessarily a strong economy.

In short, Japan which challenged the U.S. and Germany have "got it back to front".

Did the Prime Minister's tour of Europe help? But as Michiyo Nakamoto observes, the government's top officials and the bankers argue hat the LPD advisers have got it wrong.

The real challenge to the ruling party, say the academics and politically neutral pundits, is to reconstruct foreign policy, starting with South-East Asia.

But for the student of Japanese diplomacy, the starting point must surely be a review of Tokyo's foreign policy. Economic superpower is a flattering title but can the economy and public opinion-makers sustain the over-ambitious global role?

Japan is a vigorous democracy. Yet it should take a lesson from People's China.

Hulftsdorp Hill

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