Focus on China: The East is Green?
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(((( T h e B u l l e t ))))~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Socialist Project e-bulletin ... No. 1562 ... February 26, 2018
________________________________________________________________
Focus on China: The East is Green?
Martin Empson
China’s rapid economic expansion is based on massive state investment, low pay and manufacturing for export to the Western economies at the same time as the promotion of domestic consumerism. Global competition for resources and markets means China must continue this economic model. But this brings with it the risk of war, economic crisis and the threat of workers fighting for an increased share of the enormous wealth being generated. But it is also driving environmental disaster on a local and international scale.
Last October Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined a five-year economic strategy. He focused on putting China at the centre of the world economy, offering "a new option for other countries and nations... who want to speed up their development while preserving their independence." But commentators noted how Xi also emphasised the environment, using the word 89 times in the 3-hour, 23-minute speech and pledging to lead globally on the environment.
In a dig at Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the Paris climate agreement, Xi argued that, "No country alone can address the many challenges facing mankind. No country can afford to retreat into self-isolation." By contrast he claimed that China had "taken a driving seat in international cooperation to respond to climate change," and echoing Friedrich Engels, concluded that, "Only by observing the laws of nature can mankind avoid costly blunders in its exploitation. Any harm we inflict on nature will eventually return to haunt us. This is a reality we have to face."
