Experts hold a discussion over China's complexity Sunday. Photo: Zhang Siyang/GT

Zhang Yiwu

 

Yu Guoming

Pan Wei

Ruan Zongze

Luo Yuan

Jin Canrong

Yu Zhong

Gao Bo

Editor's Note:

China is not an easily defined country. The 35 years of development since reform and opening-up has only made the country more diverse and complicated. The "Complicated China" forum, which was sponsored by the Global Times, convened Sunday, where a group of top Chinese experts shared their opinions on China's diversity and complexity.

Mass culture

Zhang Yiwu, professor with the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Peking University

One of the principal forces that make the country more "complicated" is the rapid rise of the middle class. This group has benefited a lot from China's development, but their increased benefits also make them more eager to get involved in detecting and talking about social problems. This is similar to all middle classes around the world.

In China's transformative period, the prosperity of mass culture is needed, which I think can be more dynamic and positive than elite culture. Mass culture, if well developed, can be inspirational and delightful, filled with innovation and vigor.

Mass culture also plays a significant role in providing a vent for the increasing pressure on Chinese citizens, and serves as a stabilizer of society.

Diverse demands

Yu Guoming, vice-president of the Journalism School, Renmin University of China

China is a complicated country, but many choose to simplify it. Some certain social problems tend to be observed from a single and lopsided perspective. A more tolerant system is needed to include various perspectives and arguments

The government must endeavor to build an inclusive framework that can accommodate different voices to face the diversity of problems and demands.

China, as well as the rest of the world, has entered a period when mass incidents are more frequent. Such tendency makes it clear that along with the diversity of social groups, the current system of benefit distribution needs to be upgraded. Those at the bottom of the pyramid should not be ignored.

It might be a feasible option to use the pilot project strategy, just as when China started economic reform 35 years ago, to deepen reform. It is important to outline a process, which can show a way forward for the future.

Kidnapped opinions

Pan Wei, professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University

There are only hundreds of active public intellectuals online, but it seems what they think and post represents the whole of public opinion.

Can online opinion really represent those non-web users who are the majority of Chinese? Why are the opinions of the grass roots kidnapped by those public intellectuals? We should think over these questions.

Many are prone to perceive the problems confronted with China simplistically. But simplification does serve as the prerequisite of debate over complicated issues in China. In fact, the essence of science is simplification of complex issues.

China is complicated, but we need to express vivid, simplified viewpoints over certain issues, rather than keep stressing that everything is complicated and thus only speak in an ambiguous way.

Powerful river

Ruan Zongze, deputy head of the China Institute of International Studies

China is like a powerful river that will constantly forge its own course. It has gained great achievements through reform and opening-up in the past three decades. It only took 30 years for China to achieve what took the West 300 years.

But the other side of the coin is that China also suddenly suffers the pains that Western countries had 300 years to relieve.

China has many unique problems. But nowadays since China is becoming a global power, we should not excessively highlight China's unique nature.

China must emerge into the world, and its development must be acknowledged by the outside world. It is at a critical point to increase its global influence and its contribution to the world.

When we spread China's image at the international stage, we shouldn't depict it as a complicated country, which may only discourage the outside world studying China.

Complicated culture

Luo Yuan, vice president of the China Strategy Culture Promotion Association

The real China is quite complicated since different people observe Chinese society from different perspectives. However, despite a variety of social phenomena, public views are firmly based on a Chinese culture that is complicated itself.

The general public holds diverse views on history. China's long-standing historical course has been made complicated by intertwined heydays and declines. It is therefore natural for people to adopt various interpretations toward such controversial incidents as the Great Leap Forward (1958-61) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-76).

Ideology comes as another element to exert influence on cultural development. With the adoption of the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, China has been striving to promote the economy. But meanwhile, ideological confusion exists.

As China has entered a more difficult stage in its reform, we should make endeavors, including firmly sticking to our glorious principles of seeking truth from facts and conducting criticism and self-criticism, to tackle complex challenges facing China.

Avoid ultra-individualism

Jin Canrong, vice director of the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China

We must face up to the problems of a real and complicated China. The Chinese people should, as always, pursue truth, instead of being abducted by theories or frameworks.

The public should try to avoid ultra-individualism, which is actually seen as egoism in the West. Today some keep stressing liberalism, but liberalism doesn't equal to individualism. In the West, liberalism involves self-restraint.

The Chinese academia should also upgrade their theoretical framework, and make efforts in truly understanding the world. For instance, we talk about the US every day, but do we really know about it? The leftists tend to demonize the US, while the rightists depict a perfect US that does not really exist.

Golden age of opinion

Yu Zhong, dean of the Law Department of the Capital University of Economics and Business

The high inclusiveness of Chinese society leads to its complexity, which is reflected in the production mode, lifestyle, and the diversity of faiths and ways of communication.

For commentators and media staff, a complicated China means a diversification of thoughts. Everything one says will be supported by some but challenged by others. This is the direct reflection of a complicated China in public opinion.

The fading consensus allows different voices to boost the birth of new civilization. It is a golden age for social commentators, but they should also have the sense of undertaking historical responsibility.

Inevitable confrontation

Gao Bo, deputy secretary-general of the China Anti-Corruption Research Center, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

All rising powers face a confrontation with the complicated development and public opinion environment. It is impossible to close their eyes or shut others' mouths. China develops at a fast speed in a short time and under a heavy burden of history, which is unprecedented. Just like a super-wide screen, China's development is dazzling the eyes of others.

Faced with the international community, China communicates with different countries through different channels. The transition of different tunes is complicated itself.

Thus, a complicated China should be understood with great wisdom and a broad view.