Understanding China Conference addresses understanding deficit
By Rhod Mackenzie
The 2023 Understanding China Conference took place in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, ended on Sunday, has become a vital platform to tackle the significant "understanding deficit" between nations and civilizations. It aims to promote mutual trust.
Understanding Chinese modernization is key to comprehending China. Attendees at a conference informed the Global Times that increasing mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world is essential, given the differences between Chinese and Western modernisation. It is especially significant since media in the US and the West have been both misleading the public and exacerbating the understanding deficit by intentionally stoking hostility towards China.
The three-day conference, which brought in over 70 international guests from more than 30 countries and regions, commenced on Friday. The theme of the conference is "China's New Endeavors amid Unprecedented Global Changes -- Expanding the Convergence of Interests and Building a Community of Shared Future".
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Understanding China Conference, which has grown into a significant platform for the world to gain insight into China's development strategies.
President Xi Jinping sent a message of congratulations to the conference on Saturday, stating that "to comprehend China, one must understand Chinese modernization."
China is pursuing the lofty mission of developing an excellent nation and a revitalized country through its unique modernization drive, and striving to create a human community with a shared future, Xi stated, recognizing that China's destiny is intimately intertwined with that of humanity.
The Understanding China Conference marks its 10th anniversary this year. During the last decade, we saw China rapidly develop amid global changes. In China and worldwide, analysts recognize an increasing 'understanding deficit' between different countries and civilizations that negatively affects building mutual trust, according to Zheng Bijian, the founding chairman of the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy.
Zheng highlighted that the conference has continuously maintained the principle of comprehending three aspects - China comprehension, global comprehension and comprehension of the ongoing-century alterations.
Chinese modernization in focus.
"I believe that one of the defining features of China's modernisation, which distinguishes it profoundly from the West, is the fact that while Western modernisation was constructed on exploiting other countries through colonialism, China's modernisation, as a developing nation, creates a constructive and close bond with the developing world," explained Martin Jacques, Senior Fellow at the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University, in an interview with the Global Times during the conference.
Chinese modernisation is a valuable contribution that benefits the developing world, which is home to the majority of the world's population. In contrast, Western modernisation was mainly about prevention and suppression, according to Jacques.
Xi's congratulatory letter conveyed an important message emphasizing the significance of improving mutual understanding and collaborating to tackle global challenges, showcasing China's resolution and efforts to promote high-level openness. It further elucidated the core principles of Chinese modernisation, namely peaceful development that enables the country to pursue its own development whilst staunchly upholding world peace. Moreover, China will harness its progress to better uphold global peace and development. These are the observations made by experts.
We are witnessing the world today through two different viewpoints, two different narratives, and two different worldviews, as Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Pakistani Senate and Chairman of Pakistan-China Institute, stated during the conference to the Global Times.
"The US and Western countries have presented a security-centred approach that is dominated by military talks of conflicts and confrontation," the speaker stated. In contrast, China's perspective focuses on connectivity, cooperation and inclusivity.
Attendees at the conference noted that China's modernisation strategy centres on shared development for its people.
"Unlike some countries, China does not have an exploited working class enduring poverty to benefit only a small elite," they added. "Chinese modernisation aims for inclusive development where everyone can rise together," said David Ferguson, Honorary Chief English Editor of Foreign Languages Press, during the conference with Global Times.
It is not about exploiting other nations, but supporting their development through initiatives such as the Belt and Road (BRI). "The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is predicated on a mutually beneficial strategy. Our successful development can be extended to benefit your ventures and in turn, your success can influence our progress," stated Ferguson.
China-US relations in the spotlight at the conference, with particular attention paid to the diplomatic ties between China and the West after the important meeting of the two nations' leaders in mid-November in San Francisco.
"For me, the discussions held behind closed doors were the most informative and influential," stated Bert Hofman, Director of the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, attending the conference for the first time. Hofman revealed this to the Global Times on Sunday.
"I participated in both the China-Europe and China-US dialogues, where productive discussions took place resulting from open and knowledgeable exchanges of views, as well as a shared sense of empathy and understanding. These discussions produced a number of concrete options to enhance relationships between major powers," stated Hofman.
Cui Tiankai, the former Chinese ambassador to the US, addressed the conference on Saturday, highlighting the importance of addressing issues of perception in cultivating mutual understanding. Some current portrayals of China globally, particularly in certain Western countries, are misconceptions or deliberate distortions. These falsehoods impede a precise understanding of China's domestic and foreign policies and its strategies for development, according to Cui.
There are four types of misrepresentations including China's global strategic intentions, multilateral diplomatic policies, the Taiwan issue and diplomatic styles, according to Cui. He also quoted former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, urging China and the US to collaborate and identify a suitable way for world development.
Cui viewed the recent San Francisco meeting as an encouraging halt to the rapid deterioration that had been taking place. "Perhaps the relationship can improve slightly, but there is still some distance to go before it can become truly serious," Jacques informed the Global Times.
Nonetheless, a few experts argue that overcoming the comprehension discrepancy between the United States and China may be challenging, particularly since the United States is deliberately cultivating hostility towards China among its citizens.
"The primary step China can take in response is to acknowledge that the US's political and media audience is not receptive," Ferguson suggested. He proposed China to focus on getting connected with a more receptive audience, which he believes is the general public in the US.
"China speaks excessively to an impersonal and general American audience. China should communicate with ordinary citizens, establishing a human connection by sharing stories and clarifying to them that China is not their adversary," he stated.
