China Greets New Century With Hope, Confidence
China, one of the world's oldest civilizations, is returning to the world
stage in a giant man's pace after having experienced the ups and downs of
the 20th century and will draw more attention with greater progress in a new
century beginning tomorrow.
China was once a powerful country in the orient. Before the Rome Empire
crumbled and the western civilization entered a long night of darkness, the
Chinese civilization was at its height.
Westerners of the Medieval era were deeply impressed with Marco Polo's
description of China being a great and proud nation where science was then
highly developed, people led a prosperous life, knowledge was respected and
management of state was orderly, which eventually prompted Vasco Da Gama
(1469-1524), a Portuguese navigator, to set sail for the country.
However, the outcome was an unexpected catastrophe: the collision of
civilizations ushered bruise-covered China in the 20th century.
Late Chinese historian Hu Sheng noted, "The 20th century is a century when
China suffered the most in its history and is also a period of time when
Chinese people began to make attempts in order to save China and prevent
Chinese nation from extinction."
Hu also pointed out that it is also a century China is full of hope.
A major turn for the better in China's drive to rejuvenate the Chinese
nation occurred in the 20th century. Marxism replaced Confucianism to become
the most powerful ideological force in China, and its application to China's
actual situation helped the founding of the People's Republic of China on
October 1, 1949.
In the past 50 years, the Chinese nation, with a civilization of 5,000
years, has once again risen in the world while the nation has achieved
fantastic historical progress marked by sufficient grain supply to the
nation, satellites orbiting in space, and Hong Kong
<http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/HK.html> and Macao
<http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/macau.html> 's return to
motherland.
The passing 20th century is an era featuring drastic accumulation of riches
of mankind. China has drawn the attention of economists around the world
with its fast economic progress. In the past 50 years, China's average
annual economic growth speed is two times and a half of that of the world's
average.
In 2000, China is expected to stand in the seventh place in the world in
terms of gross economic volume and placed second in terms of foreign
exchange reserves. Most of the Chinese people lead a better-off life and the
100-year dream of realizing modernization will soon become a reality.
It should never be forgotten that China had been the world's No. 1 strong
economic nation for 14 centuries and continued to lead the world with its
riches until the first half of 19th century. It is said that China's return
into the world stage is an inevitable fact and China's takeoff in the new
century will be even more splendid and fascinating.
The 20th century is a time featuring globalization tendency. China has
changed from a complacent, conservative and isolated state into an open one.
Following its foreseeable accession into the World Trade Organization, the
leading position of China, with a population of 1.3 billion, in the world's
economic setup will eventually be established.
Having fostered economic and trade relations with 227 countries and regions
in the world, China is placed second in the world for six running years in
terms of the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI), and more than 200
out of the world's top 500 transnational corporations have settled down in
China.
In opinion of Chinese economist Hu Angang, China has succeeded in a major
cross-century choice.
The 20th century is an era of great changes for mankind, but the
earth-shaking changes in China are the most impressive. China has made
unique contributions to socialist movement. Under the banner of socialism,
China, the world's third largest country in terms of territory, has not only
won independence, but also successfully solved the problem of providing one
fifth of the world's total population with enough to eat and wear. It has
become stronger and stronger.
Foreign media comment that China's road serves world as a model. What
happened in China this century are surely to affect the pattern of world in
the new millennium.
In the 20th century, the mankind for the first time mastered the
technologies to destroy itself, and created the form of world wars to push
civilization to the edge of extinction. China has on one hand become one of
the countries that suffered the most misery and most sacrifices, and on the
other hand become one of the countries that have been fighting for its
independence and sovereignty and making benefits for mankind.
In the latter half of the 20th century, the increasingly strong New China
has upheld justice in the world affairs, advocated peace and development in
the multi-polar world, and has therefore been considered by foreign media as
the "factor of stability" and to " have changed the balance of force".
>From ancient times to nowadays, best remembered in the world are philosophy
of Confucius, Mencius and Lao Zhuang, martial arts and Peking Opera
<http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/features/music/peking.html> . The fine
tradition of Chinese nation -- will be carried on and further developed in
the new century.
The passing 20th century has witnessed unprecedented progress in science and
technologies. People surprisingly find that China's inventions of rocket,
gun powder, mariner's compass, paper-making and block printing in the
Medieval era had played a influential role. Without these inventions, it is
impossible for happening of most major events in the world in the 20th
century.
But on the other hand, the occurrence of the theory of relativity, quantum
mechanics, computer and gene engineering has imposed challenges to ancient
civilization. Chinese people have survived the challenges.
One can easily find that in the world's scientific and technological
sectors, scientists of Chinese origin have been playing an active role. The
central Chinese government has also included seizing opportunities in
scientific and technological revolution into the cross-century strategies of
the state. Chinese people also plan to put up the five-star red flags on the
Moon and the Mars.
The relation between the human beings and the nature has for the first time
entered a state of tension in the 20th century. The speed of extinction of
species in this century has exceeded any period in history. Some pessimistic
westerners believe that the 20th century is an era wherein material is
placed in the first place and money is worshipped above everything else and
mankind will lose the capacity of self control.
Ji Xianlin, a Chinese scholar of culture, said:" At this moment, a great
number of bewildered people once again turn their eyes to the orient in a
bid to find a way out in the old traditions featuring a harmony of the
mankind and the nature, and human beings' care for culture."
China, which has been making efforts to put a brake on population growth,
has taken sustainable development as a state policy, and treated perfection
of the spiritual world as the highest pursuit, will draw more attention in
the globe in the new century.
The new century will start a new page for the mankind. Some people predict
that it will be an even complicated and confusing era, while others say it
will be a time full of glory.
Many people expect that rising of China will once again bring the world with
encouraging tidings. Chinese sociologist Fei Xiaotong said:" Maybe a home
for re-arrangement of the future of the mankind will be found in this
fertile land that has nurtured the ancient Chinese civilization."
****
Beijing Shuts Down 5,123 Illegal Entertainment Sites
Law enforcers in Beijing
<http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/beijing.html> have shut
down 5,123 unlicensed entertainment venues this year, according to the
city's police.
There were 11,000 entertainment places in the Chinese capital before the
overhaul. Starting from April this year, Beijing launched a six-month-long
campaign to rectify the city's entertainment service sector in accordance
with a decision of the State Council, said an officer with the general team
for law and order under the Beijing Public Security Bureau Saturday.
In the campaign, they struck hard on social evils such as prostitution and
gambling, and renewed registration of the entertainment service providers
after assessment and examination, said the official.
During the overhaul, the police smashed 365 dens for prostitution and
gambling, and detained 22,472 people suspected of engaging in prostitution,
gambling porn shows, hetero massage and other sex services.
To ensure safety at entertainment sites during the forthcoming New Year's
Day and the Spring Festival, which falls on January 24 next year, Beijing
has also organized a city-wide inspection of all the sites.
****
Cuban President Meets Chinese PLA Chief of General Staff
Cuban President Fidel Castro met Fu Quanyou, Chief of General Staff of the
People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China in Havana Saturday.
Castro told the Chinese guest that Cuba
<http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/cuba.html> has been closely
following China's development and highly values the friendly cooperative
relationship between the two countries. He also expressed Cuba's willingness
to strengthen the bilateral ties.
The Cuban leader elaborated on Cuba's views on international and regional
situation. He pointed out that Cuba resolutely opposes hegemonism, advocates
the unity and cooperation among developing countries, and works hard to
eliminate polarization between the rich and the poor.
On Cuba's internal affairs, Castro said his country has been making efforts
to bring about a prosperous economy and improve people's living standards.
Fu Quanyou, also a member of the Chinese Central Military Commission, said
he has had extensive talks with top Cuban military officers during his
current visit and has learned many helpful experience from the Cuban army.
The general noted that China and Cuba have always maintained a good
relationship and that China is willing to make positive contributions to the
further development of bilateral ties.
The two sides exchanged views on international and regional issues of common
concern.
After the meeting, Castro gave a luncheon in honor of Fu and his delegation.
Fu arrived in Cuba on December 26 for a five-day visit at the invitation of
Alvaro Lopez Miera, Chief of General Staff of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed
Forces. During the visit, Fu has toured some Cuban military units and
colleges.
Fu will leave here for Greece
<http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/greece.html> Saturday at the
end of his visit to Cuba.
