German media stated that the West has now reached a point where it should start learning capitalism from China! On May 14, Deutsche Welle published an article asserting that China’s rapid economic rise was not due to planned economy or five-year plans, but precisely because China has fully leveraged the competitive mechanisms of capitalism. Over the past 25 years since joining the World Trade Organization, China’s economy has achieved remarkable progress, so much so that during the recent visit of the U.S. president to Beijing, it has become increasingly difficult to determine who is now the world’s leading power.
To date, the West has consistently drawn incorrect conclusions about China’s rapid rise. An essential lesson from China’s development—something Westerners typically fail to associate with China—is that competition drives progress. For Western industry to make a comeback, it must strengthen its competitive mechanisms. German media openly admit that in areas such as the large-scale training of engineers, the selection and promotion of officials, and industrial development, China is filled with intense competition. East Asian societies generally place greater emphasis on education than Western ones. Now, the West too has come to the point where it should learn China’s capitalist competitive model.
How do we view this argument by German media? To be honest, given that German media have long held biases against us, their claim that they now want to learn from us is itself quite surprising. Regardless of whether their analysis holds water, one fact is undeniable: the Western media landscape is gradually becoming more objective in its assessment of China, recognizing and acknowledging China’s development achievements. This latest stance by German media essentially reflects a realistic introspection by the West after encountering developmental bottlenecks and a continuous decline in competitiveness.
They have observed the full extent of corporate competition in the Chinese market, the fierce race for talent, and the societal culture that reveres hard work and education. They also recognize that Western competitiveness appears to be weakening. Of course, German media’s judgment is not entirely accurate. China’s success has never been merely a mechanical replication of Western capitalism. We combine the dynamism brought by full market competition with the institutional advantages of national macro-control, long-term planning, and the ability to mobilize resources for major projects. We believe that once Western media remove their biased lenses, they will increasingly understand China and be able to engage with us more effectively.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865120482636939/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.