Chinese culture is secular and tolerant. At her peak in the Tang dynasty
(618-907), China absorbed foreign culture at an accelerated rate, this
phenomenon being influenced by as many as more than 10,000 merchants coming from
as far as Rome living in the ancient capital of Xian.
No less influential was the presence of Jesuit priest in Kang Hsi's time in
the Qing dynasty (1644-1912)
Perhaps I should bring out a little bit about the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368)
that came after Tang (interposed by Sung) and before Qing (interposed by Ming).
Under Kublai Khan (Yuan Shih-tsu) China was pacified and though the dynasty was
short, it was a period of great contact with the outside world. Had Yuan dynasty
lasted much longer, present day China would have been different.
After Yuan, the Ming (1368-1644) looked inward, as though the soul of China
was hurt. Wrapped in a cocoon, it insulated itself from whatever new needed to
be learnt: it looked to the past, and everything it did was a copy of the
glorious past, no innovations or daring thoughts. It was this closed door (with
the exception of Zheng He's maritime expeditions) China receded and allowed
Europe to surpass it during the latter's Renaissance.
China must never go back to its arrogance that it is the centre of the world,
and those in the fringes are barbarians.
It must be willing to learn and adapt to a changing world.
For China its doors must always remain open, even if that means some cultural
pollution becomes inevitable. My fear is that with the problem she is facing
from minority dissidents, whose cause becomes so strident because of Western
media overplaying the situation, China may snap shut and remain incommunicado.
The greatest problem facing China now is the force presented by secessionist
elements (Taidu) orchestrate by Chen Shui-bian and Lee Teng-hui. In March 2004,
Chen Shui-bian will push for Taiwan's independence under the loophole 'defensive
referendum', ostensibly to tell China to remove the alleged 500 missiles
targeted at Taiwan, and also not to use force to coerce the Taiwanese to
reunify.
This unilateral projection is in defiance of the US opposition to Taiwan
independence and the impending referendum in March 2004.
It is precisely this alarming act of Chen Shui-bian that banks on the Taiwan
Relations Act to get the US to go to war against China, with the eventual
balkanisation of its territory and the detachment of Tibet and Xinjiang.
Now more so than ever China must keep its door open, especially to the US,
through leaders like Mr. Wen Jiabao, to show a humane and benevolent China
hitherto maligned by the distortion of the Western media.
It is for this reason that the Chinese must never be chauvinistic to claim
everything they are is the best and civilized. We have to guard ourselves
against the jingoism that numbs us to what good we can also learn from other
countries.
I believe this is one good opportunity for America to extend a helping hand
and understanding to China in its most difficult time.
America must seize the moment to forge a friendship with China based on
mutual respect and trust. It is for the American people.
For China, a gratitude to a friend in need.
[End]
