China's "new countryside" concept has the potential to inspire
its neighbors, and the nation's success in the endeavour will be
crucial in impacting surrounding countries with huge rural and
agricultural populations.
The concept, which aims to achieve a more balanced and
sustainable development between rural and urban imperatives and
among regions within China, fits well with the country's
"harmonious society" philosophy and may guarantee greater social
stability.
As the main policy plank announced after the fifth plenary
session of the Communist Party Central Committee last year, it has
long been expected to have important domestic impact.
But the new countryside will surely also have some
socio-economic implications for China's neighbors in ASEAN
(Association of Southeast Asian Nations), especially when
ASEAN-China trade, economic and political ties are warming up
substantially.
China's Southeast Asian neighbors can certainly learn a few
lessons this new Chinese policy and the socio-economic shift that
is taking place in Chinese society.
ASEAN has been impressed with the pragmatism of recent Chinese
leaders, especially in the post-Deng Xiaoping era, which has
resulted in a fundamental shift in ASEAN leaders' thinking on
China.
Indeed, ASEAN leaders have clearly stated that they could deal
and do business with pragmatic Chinese leaders today, as the latter
espouse a clear win-win approach to bilateral relations.
This new policy would again underscore the Chinese leaders'
pragmatism in dealing squarely with growing socio-economic issues
as China rises in peaceful development.
ASEAN leaders can now look up to this new Chinese experience and
apply some of it to their own internal socio-economic policies.
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2006)