the new petro power paradigm - Diplomat Magazine

Di spatches|responses
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Chinese Ambassador Zhang Junsai argues that although China has, over the past 62 years, lifted more than 200 million Chinese out of poverty,
the country, run by President Hu Jintao, above, is still considered a developing nation.
opening up. Our main goal is to maintain
China’s stable and fast development over
the long term to ensure that our progress
is enjoyed by all Chinese. To meet this
goal, we will focus on three priorities:
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• Expanding domestic demand: We
are working hard to adjust our national
income distribution pattern — to match
income growth with economic development,
to increase urban and rural
income, to enhance people’s buying
power and tap into the world’s largest
consumer market. We are actively promoting
universal access to basic public
services, including education, employment,
housing, health care, senior care
and building a social welfare safety net
to ensure that the gains of our economic
growth benefit all and boost our economy
by stimulating domestic demand.
• Highlighting innovation and transformation:
At present, the contribution
of scientific and technological
progress to China’s economy is 25 to 30
percent lower than that in developed
countries. We will rely more on technological
advancement and management
innovation in boosting our economy.
Meanwhile, we will accelerate the development
of energy conservation, of
next-generation InfoTech, of biotechnology,
high-end equipment manufacturing,
of new sources of energy, of new
materials and new energy vehicles and
other strategic emerging industries to
support our present and future growth.
• Focusing on green development:
China is trying to catch up with the
West in terms of per-capita GDP. Our
energy consumption per capita, however,
should never exceed that of developed
countries, since the global
environment is already under huge
pressure. We will not follow the old
path of western industrialized countries.
Instead, we will pay close attention
to ecological costs and effects;
develop clean, renewable energy and
a circular economy; actively respond
to climate change and transform our
extensive economic growth pattern to a
low carbon and green one.
What does China’s development mean to
the world?
More than 2,000 years ago, China’s
classical work Book of Songs noted that
“… people who are heavily burdened
need a little ease. This shall preserve the
kingdom and world peace.”
Today, a “moderately prosperous” life
in China means having access to education,
income, medical care, senior care and
housing — a life more than just sufficient
food and clothing. It also means national
prosperity and well-being while at peace
with neighbouring countries. These are
China’s development goals today: building
harmony within and around the
world. China will be accountable to its
1.3 billion people. Meanwhile, we will not
shrink from our responsibilities for world
peace and development. In doing so,
China’s development will benefit not only
the Chinese, but people worldwide.
Ever since the beginning of our reform
and opening up, China has made safeguarding
world peace and promoting
common development one of our three
historic missions. In recent years, China
has also proposed to facilitate the building
of lasting peace, common prosperity and
a harmonious world. We are closely following
international and regional affairs.
China has been active in responding to
global issues such as energy, food, climate
change, terrorism, natural disasters, infectious
diseases, financial crisis and the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
and Iran nuclear issues, Arab-Israel conflict
and Darfur as well as other regional
hotspots. Moreover, China has been a responsible
player, builder and contributor
FALL 2011 | OCT-NOV-DEC