Tatiana Bokova, Intern of the Russian National Committee on BRICS Research – special for InfoBRICS
China recent successes have laid the foundation for objectively perceiving China as an emerging regional power. China is a major player in the world market, gradually realizing its national interests in foreign policy and the economy. The leadership of the People's Republic of China, headed by Xi Jinping, pays increased attention to international projects that are being successfully implemented and assimilated into the concept of the «Great revival of the Chinese nation». In Xi Jinping’s report on the plan "to realize rejuvenation/revival of the Chinese nation is the greatest Chinese Dream" the importance was attached to foreign policy and international affairs, on the basis of which China would more actively promote its interests and ideas abroad.
The previous chairman of the People’s Republic of China, Hu Jintao, during his term of office formed the idea of the «Chinese Dream», which expressed the achievements of all CCP leaders. He defined this slogan in his own way, the main thing was that there was a desire to keep up with the times, developing contacts with other peoples and creating world peace, progress and harmony. According to Hu Jintao, it was important to make the Chinese state prosperous and strengthen the modernization of the state.
On March 14, 2013, a political and party figure, Xi Jinping, who led the fifth generation of the People’s Republic of China, became the next to present the idea of the «Chinese Dream». Since the new chairman came to power in China, changes have been made in all areas of life. For instance, the anti-corruption campaign, which finally put order in the “list” of officials; the use of toughening in civil society, including advocating the concept of "network sovereignty" (establishment of internet censorship, restriction of access to the world network); as well as a call for a new stage - the "Chinese Dream", etc.
Not forgetting about Hu Jintao's concept, the leadership also declared that it is necessary to combine the Chinese people's dream with the dreams of other countries and make the development of the world prosperous and full of peace, which has a strong significance in the international political arena.
What is the “Chinese Dream”?
The “Chinese Dream” (Chinese: 中国 梦 ， Zhongguo Meng) is a concept of the PRC and a socio-political course that is still valid today, put forward by Xi Jinping’s chairman on November 29th in 2012 at the exhibition «The Way to Revival» in the National Museum of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing. Xi Jinping stated, "I think that the great revival of the Chinese nation is the greatest Chinese Dream in the new era." The impetus for the emergence of the Chinese national idea was the peculiarity of the modern stage of development of the People’s Republic of China: significant economic and social development, strengthening of its influence on the world stage, abandonment of the policy of «narrow regionalism» and prerequisites to the role of the world power.
The title of the concept includes the concept of "revival", which is not something new for China and was often used in the process of revolutionary transformations and reforms. In fact, Xi Jinping continued the ideas of his predecessors and added some elements that fit the modern process. The term "dream" appears to be an innovation, although many researchers associate it with the traditional Chinese concept of "Great Unity" (Chinese: 大同, Datong). It is likely that the "dream" is primarily related to the future of China. For example, the work of the famous philosopher and ideologist of Chinese nationalism Kang Yuwei - "The Book of Great Unity", builds a picture of the future of China. Sun Yat-sen has repeatedly mentioned China’s future project, “My idea is to use foreign capitalism to create socialism in China, so that by harmoniously combining these two economic forces that move humanity forward, to force them to act together and thereby accelerate development future world civilization ".
Thus, the "Chinese Dream" became the embodiment of the desires of the Chinese nation for renewal and change. Xi Jinping's vision was designed to work urgently and penetrate all the most important aspects of modern China. The "Chinese Dream" was essentially the central theme of the NPC and CPPCC sessions in mid-March 2013.
Many researchers and scholars, as well as media representatives have tried to figure out what is the essence of the “Chinese Dream of a great revival of the Chinese nation." For example, Professor Zheng Bijian wrote, "The Chinese Dream” is a peaceful, civilized way to achieve the goals of national development and socialist modernization." Most experts dubbed the concept as part of China's national idea.
Moreover, the Western media have expressed their views on the "Chinese Dream" and its interpretation. For example, in the article Elizabeth Perry writes that, for example, the New York Times stated that Xi Jinping's "Chinese Dream" can only be a stimulus for great reforms or it can become a reason for fear, which makes him a nationalist, putting China on an aggressive development path.
The idea of the "Chinese Dream": the political aspect
In the international sphere China is placing the main emphasis on economic development rather than politics. Now China is a gradually developing economy that has experienced an extraordinary and rapid rise. In recent years China's political influence on world processes has increased, thus the concept of the "Chinese Dream" can go far beyond the borders of the PRC. Approaching the topic under consideration from the point of view of China's domestic and foreign policy, it is important to note that such an unprecedentedly rapid emergence of a new socio-political course may speak of the formation of a new era.
In the sphere of foreign policy and international relations, China has also begun to play a more prominent role, taking greater part in solving international problems, albeit mainly economic ones.
For example, with regard to Xi Jinping’s foreign-policy activities, no Chinese leader has been able to attract so many heads of other countries to the People's Republic of China. Xi has travelled abroad 28 times, visiting five continents, 56 countries and the headquarters of major international and regional organizations. Such activity in the diplomatic field was facilitated by the two-pronged course of “welcome at your place” (Chinese: 请进来, qingjinlai) and “go outside” (Chinese: 走出去, zouchuqu).
Moreover, international summits have been held, for example, the Forum of International Cooperation "One Belt - One Road", the ninth BRICS Summit, as well as participation in such projects as «Silk Road Economic Belt» and others.
It seems that the main attention in the coming years will be paid to the creation of a foreign policy apparatus adequate to China's new global role. The basic principles: non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, non-alignment, etc., will be the most stable, while greater flexibility can be shown in determining regional priorities and relations with other countries.
Thus, a great place in the «Chinese Dream» takes the idea of the exclusive role of the People’s Republic of China as a country promoting the concept of peaceful development and international cooperation, the «harmonious world», Chinese traditional ideals and values. The younger generation of Chinese will play a huge role in the implementation of this concept. By 2049, by the 100th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, it is necessary to build a rich, powerful, democratic, civilized, harmonious socialist modern state. In May 2013, Xi Jinping in an interview, stressed that China will not only develop itself, but will also be responsible for and contribute to the development of the world, providing benefits not only to the people of China, but also to the peoples of the world: «The realization of the Chinese Dream will bring peace to the world, not upheavals, it is a chance, not a threat».
What will be the future of Chinese foreign policy under this concept?
Having analyzed the events that took place during the years of Xi Jinping as chairman, it is interesting to guess what the foreign policy of the PRC will be in the coming years (based on the report of Xi Jinping at the 19th Congress of the CPC in 2017).
First, Xi Jinping stated that the realization of the "dream of rejuvenation" does not threaten the outside world. On the contrary, the transformation of China into a strong and wealthy state will bring benefits to all of humanity, since China can take on more responsibility to the world community and make a more visible contribution to global development.
Second, the concept of the "Great revival of the Chinese Nation" will be Beijing's top priority until 2049, when the centenary of communist China will be celebrated. By this time, the report says, the country will become "a modern, powerful and socialist power."
However, despite the big plans of the Chinese government to establish world domination and rapprochement with other participating countries, there are problems that need to be resolved. For example, China's relations with the United States, Japan, Myanmar, problems on the Korean Peninsula, and others.
Conclusions
To sum up, we can say that the new concept involves updating and improving the ideas formulated by past leaders. Socio-economic problems in one way or another occupy a very important place. China's current problems dictate the conditions for a change in economic and political direction for a new intensive development model.
The “Chinese Dream” in the concept of the “Great revival of the Chinese nation”, being something new, was not presented and is not promoted as something innovative. On the contrary, the emphasis is placed on its "historical character", deep roots going down in history several centuries ago. I believe that unlike most of the previous theories and concepts, the "Chinese Dream" is aimed equally at China and its strategic partners, and is actively used as an instrument of China's "soft power" abroad.
However, on the other hand, the "Chinese Dream" as a tool in domestic politics allows the country's top leadership to justify tougher censorship, control and repression with loud slogans and promises of achieving the ambitious goal of the "Great rejuvenation" in the near future.
Thus, it can be concluded that despite the seeming contradiction and vagueness, in a practical sense the concept of the «Great Revival of the Chinese Nation» may well serve as the main program of development and reform of the People’s Republic of China for the next five to ten years.
