China &“Serve the People" Model
How many times have one been to China? Once there, one will become far less “disconnected” with what is the real highly connected China.
Not a day passes whereby the Americas, Africa, Asia and EU don’t feel the intertwined connectivity with China.
China is so plugged into the world in almost every way. Trade, Finance, Manufacturing, Education, Science & Technology, Tourism, Entertainment, IT & Mobile, Sports, Luxury goods, F&B and almost anything you can think of.
Let us look at some facts.
First, music, art and entertainment. China do have cultural theatres of all types in most cities, 622 of them. You can watch any symphony orchestra or ballet or operas, or even rock concerts from all over the world.
Internet? And most Chinese are connected on the internet and smartphone, a staggering 800 million.
GAMING — just like US or French or Japanese “kids”, China 620 million addicts; $40 billion in 2018, largest in the world. Because of Mao, almost “half holding up” a game console is now a female. So it’s no wonder that China kids crazy into games developing and hooked onto the cyber space. On top of thousands of Chinese games, Niko and Tencent brought in many Western games too, like “The Game of the Thrones.
Explosion of Unicorns and Apps. Like anywhere else, it has loads of options for everything — socials, chats, payments, portals, apps, blogs, A&V, wiki, forums, taxi, F&B, delivery, e-retail, gaming and anything you need as per below, so they don’t really need Google or Facebook or Grab or Twitter or Whatapps. VPNs also can. Imagine China with 580 million on 5G by 2023, and 2 billion of the world by 2024, at 100x faster than 4G.
Connections? Connectivity of People must be the most important. At least 230 airports in China. China sends 130 million tourists all over the world. 5.2 million in overseas studies, many in USA and Europe.
As of 2015, China is the fourth most visited country in the world, after France, United States, and Spain, with 56.9 million international tourists per year.
In Beijing, all Fortune 500 are here. Someone said possibly a million foreigners in Shanghai?
World’s largest trading country, China has trade connections with almost the whole planet from Americas to Africa to EU and all across Asia-Pacific. Chinese firms are all over the world, Chinese workers are everywhere building, trading, serving and connecting with new partners.
Of course it is also the largest factory for almost everything that 6 billions enjoy.
Finance? China’s ‘World Bank’, for development and infrastructure bank, the AIIB has 70 members all over the world, including EU, Russia, ASEAN and India. China is now the biggest FDI in many developing countries. Four of top 5 largest asset banks are Chinese (ICBC, BOC, ABC, CCB).
Its Belt Road Initiative (silk road) already has 150 signing up, including 13 in EU.
China is connected to many by trade, eg. All 10 ASEAN nations are given each a plot of land with a permanent office. ASEAN hold their annual expo here in South China. As with all African nations under FOCAC, and central Asia under SCO and BRI. It has 40 treaties for friendship and cooperation, and not military.
Sports is big in China. Almost every sports events are held in China, from all over the world.
F1 Formula One is big in China bringing loads of fans to China.
China Olympics was one of most incredible ever organised.
China is crazy about football, has its own league, and have numerous international competition. I just watched one, but unfortunately China CFA lost to Thailand by a sucker punch of a goal. For soccer, I can agree China is tragically ‘disconnected’ because they cannot get into the World Cup whilst Korea and Japan can. (Yes, do criticise)
F&B. You can find almost any successful F&B, or cafes or the most famous restaurants.
Chinese like everyone else also like shopping, and luxury goods? consuming 43%.
So, what do you have in mind that is disconnected with or about China?
What are your most important connections?
Culturally, politically, financially, economically, sports, internet, music and art or? If you are thinking MSM? China has its own media and don’t trust MSM who are biased or paid to write what the funders want. If you talking political systems and values, China has its own system and principles, and is more consistent and respected in the developing world than the West. If you talking economics, China is doing far better with most of the world. If you are talking music, art and pop? Don’t worry, China has plenty traditional, is adopting new, and will amaze. Literature? You can find almost any Western print in China, and she herself publishes more new books than any nation for her 95% literate population. If you are talking culture and philosophy, the Chinese themselves do feel superior with their culture and will avoid aping the West and its society deviating too much just to be un-disconnected! No thanks.
Ultimately China (being Oriental) is indeed quite a unique culture (from the West), and will take time for the world to truly appreciate her well. Still she has plenty of friends, and plugging in strong. If anything, we should applaud a backwards poor China that now far exceeds all expectations in connecting with the world in just 4 decades. And becoming the most influential and talked about rising nation. To reiterate — not a day passes whereby the US, for instance, don’t feel the vibes from ALL those Chinese connections.
