China: Cementing links in the Caribbean
Published:Monday | October 18, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Lovelette Brooks, News Editor
BEIJING, China:
FROM THE construction of superhighways, to sporting arenas, railways and ports, China's economic tentacles are firmly rooted in the Caribbean.
It is a planned move by the Chinese authorities to build political and strategic influence in the region, and should not be viewed with scepticism, Professor Zhu Liqun, assistant president of the China Foreign Affairs University, Beijing, told journalists participating in a professional development pro-gramme hosted by the university.
Zhu Liqun was responding to questions from the Caribbean visitors regarding China's investment throughout the region, despite the fact that some 30 per cent of its people live on less than US$1 per day and the country struggles to find jobs for some 17 million people, including university graduates, and ranks 103rd in terms of per capita income.
"All of this is important to China's foreign policy. Creating a favourable environment for trade is an objective. This will make China's image in the world better and help China be more influential," Zhu explained.
She said the single-party state, which now ranks number two behind the United States in terms of economic strength, is extending aid to economically weaker nations through its Overseas Development Programme and not at the expense of deepening the impoverished condi-tions of China's poor.
"We are working with big powers, as well as developing countries. Last year, during the financial meltdown, China contributed to 50 per cent of world economic growth. As new frontiers open up, we are gaining in global importance," she added.
Demographic issues
However, while China pushes its foreign policy, strengthens its economic base globally and enjoys its "golden period of development" since relaxing communist rule, it is grappling with serious demographic issues that could threaten its economic gains.
At 1.3 billion, China has the largest population in the world, four times that of the US.
In a move to prevent population growth from further driving down the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and to raise standard of living, China has reinforced strict family-planning measures.
Lessening gov't's burden
The one-child family, a contro-versial move which seems to anger the young and find resonance with some members of academia, is enforced.
"It's a move that will lessen the burden on government, boost GDP, and result in other improvements in standard of living," said Heng Xiaojun, professor of China Foreign Affairs University.
Disagreeing with the policy, Professor Wang Yan, director of foreign affairs at the university, said: "We have the ageing population to think about, who is going to care for them?"
Apart from limiting family size, the population policy recommends late marriage and late childbirth.
The target, said Wang, is to reduce the birth rate by 10 million each year, improve the social status of women, and to provide improved social and educational opportunities for children. To achieve this end, abortion has been legalised and the service is available at public hospitals.