Asia Reemergence a Boon for the World by Wang Ronghua
Asia's Reemergence a Boon for the World
by Wang Ronghua
The author is president of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. The article is adapted from his speech at the International Convention of Asia Scholars 4 which ended in Shanghai on Wednesday.
Shanghai Daily, Friday 26 August 2005, page 5
Any study of Asia’s future must proceed from its long history, and from a respect of for that history.
In the past several millennia, this continent was the cradle of a host of great civilizations, including the ancient Mesopotamian civilization, the ancient Hindu civilization, the ancient Chinese civilization, and various other civilizations.
What’s more, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity all grew up in Asian soil. In comparison with other lands, Asia has shown a more colorful mosaic of civilizations.
The diversity of Asian civilizations exists hand in hand with mutual tolerance among Asian cultures. Over more than 2,000 years, Confucianism spread from china to other parts of East Asia; Buddhism from South Asia to East Asia; and Islam from West Asia to Central and Southeast Asia.
The peaceful coexistence among different civilizations in Asia far exceeded their conflicts or confrontations.
Contemporary Asian cultures, as a result of such encounters and interactions that characterized the growth of the historical Asian civilizations, testify to the Asian spirit of peace and tolerance.
This spirit of peace and tolerance enables us to value communication, understanding and cooperation in the face of differences in the 21st century.
It is against such a cultural background that Asia is reemerging peacefully as a vital force in the world.
Asia is changing its passive and marginalized role assigned to it long since the Industrial Revolution. The vitality released from Asia’s self-reform and resurrection is being translated into a strong power propelling the whole human development in the 21st century.
On their tortuous road of integration into the modern world since the 19th century, the Asians have made persistent efforts for an equal status in the international arena.
Though long at an advanced forefront of human civilization, Asian countries lagged behind in the modern world. They have been providing cheap raw materials and labor to the developed countries, while making attempts to assimilate the modern elements of the West.
The result has been an imbalance of development between the East and West, and an unequal position in international affairs as well.
Many problems in contemporary Asia are to a great extent rooted in history. Resolving these problems, while demanding insight and courage from the Asians, requires joint efforts of the East and the West.
At present, great changes are taking place in both the East and the West, particularly so in Asia, where East Asia and South Asia are showing as strong momentum of peaceful reemergence. What the peaceful rise of Asia promises to the world is increasing balance, faster growth, and greater stability.
Of course, there is no denying that Asia itself has pockets of poverty and warfare in certain countries and regions.
But this just proves from the other side that Asia is in need of peace and development.
Given its size, the peaceful rise of Asia will be a most direct contribution to the world.
With Asia’s accumulation of wealth, its social transformation, and the rise of its international standing, a real equality between the East and the West will come true.
It is natural that there are differences as well as agreements. The Chinese philosophy has always emphasized the existence of harmony in differences, and stressed the importance of seeking common ground while putting aside differences.
In the contemporary world, the coexistence and combination of various cultures manifests itself in a pluralistic model, towards modernization.
The road for Asia’s development will fully embody a pluralistic model, a diversified culture, and a multiple pattern.
China belongs to Asia, and the Chinese people have a deeply-felt attachment to and identification with Asia.
Like many Asian countries, China is a developing country, sharing into the rest of Asia.
As fan Zhongyan, an ancient Chinese philosopher once remarked, “to worry before everyone else, and to rejoice after everyone else,” we would also like to follow this principle in sharing the weal and woe of our fellow Asians.
China, based on her experience of turmoil, war, poverty, and humiliation, knows that it is never easy to secure peace and development.
As Chinese President Hu Jintao recently said, we should “remember well our history, never forget the past, treasure peace, and work for an even brighter future.
That is why we are so committed to the notion of peace, development and cooperation.
Confucius said, “To be established yourself, help others to be established; to be successful yourself, help others to be successful.” He is also well known for saying, “Do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you.”
These teachings tell us unequivocally that one can get one’s rightful position only in practicing fair play to others; one can achieve development only when involving others in the common development; and one should never impose on others what you yourself do not desire.
When China walks onto the world stage and integrates into Asia, such notions are naturally assimilated into its international behavior and relations, as reflected in this policy of peaceful development and its proposal to “befriend, secure, and benefit our neighbors.”
China, as a developing country, needs to be modest and keen on learning from other nations. Even if China becomes stronger in the future, it will still need to respect other nations, an d learn from others.
When we today talk about the future of Asia, we inevitably talk about the future of China. The international community has witnessed various speculations about China’s future, with some believing that this is and agnostic topic.
However, if one understands the Chinese culture, one may come up with a very clear picture of the spiritual state of the future China, and with it, get a good grasp of the future China’s attitude toward the test of the world.
