When we think of a communist country, the first country that comes to mind is China. After all, it is one of the last remaining Communist states in the world today, along with Cuba and Venezuela. But do these countries qualify as being “Communists” in any sense of the word? In its original sense, communism refers to a social and economic system where most property is owned by the state, and production is based on collective ownership rather than private ownership. Based on this definition, while China might identify itself as Communist, it doesn’t meet these criteria. There are many ways in which China is not even close to being a Communist country. However you look at it, China is a unique case when it comes to Communism. This article explores why that is so and what it means for the future of China and its political ideology.
Is China Actually Communist?
No. China is not communist. It is a nation that has a communist party running it but it is not communist. The country is now morphing into capitalism, with authoritarianism thrown in. Communism was never practiced, except perhaps in the Mao era (1951–1976), and even that was not communism (more like brutality).
Confucius Institutes And China’s Soft Power Strategy
1. Confucius Institutes
China is establishing thousands of Confucius Institutes (CI) across the world, intending to influence foreign society positively towards China. The CIs are said to have close ties with the Chinese government and have been described as “neo-colonies” by critics. In some cases, the CI has been criticized for having fewer academic activities and more propaganda than education. The CIs are funded by China’s Ministry of Education and they spread propaganda to other countries through lectures, seminars, workshops, and cultural exchanges.
2. Language Diplomacy
Chinese people know English well enough which makes them good candidates for the English language job market since they already know how the world operates at its highest level of education (hello technology). This has prompted many companies to recruit foreigners with fluent English who are willing to learn Chinese to work for them. This includes many multinational companies and western institutions including Microsoft, Google, and BMW.
3. Chinese Musicians
Music can be one of the ways to spread China’s soft power across the world if used correctly and according to a certain purpose. Many people report that Chinese musicians are popular due to their interesting themes and interesting music styles which can be summed up as folk music. The fact that many people like their music doesn’t mean they identify themselves with the country. They sing their songs about love and life in foreign languages, which makes some people wonder what on earth is happening. This may also be because China does not have a well-established music industry that people are familiar with. But doesn’t anyone ever wonder why the Chinese government is so supportive of this unconventional music style? It seems like the idea of accommodating different cultures and talents from all around the world to play music for foreign nations could be a good way to spread awareness about Chinese culture too, despite it being a controversial issue in some countries.
4. Citizen Diplomacy
Citizenship is one of China’s most important symbols but also one of its biggest weaknesses in its soft power efforts. Most countries are unwilling to grant an “apostate” citizenship, like how many Chinese citizens who leave their home country lose their citizenship and cannot get out of that country anymore. The same can happen to citizens who are born abroad and want to return home later, which would be inconvenient for the Chinese government.
The Rise Of Capitalism In China
1. Unfair Trade
A lot of accusations are being directed at China for its unfair trade practices. According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China is one of the most prominent offenders. This means that it has been accused of hindering international trade while exporting mostly low- or no-cost products and receiving high tariffs when trading with other countries. In terms of international trade, this would be a case where soft power is not enough to change Chinese culture and make Chinese people adhere to the westernized way of thinking regarding business ethics. It is a hard pill for China to swallow but must be realized as the only way for China to improve its economy and increase its overall soft power status among other nations.
2. Intellectual Property Issues
Earlier than ever, it seems like intellectual property theft isn’t considered “stealing” anymore. Intellectual property theft can be something that shows a lack of respect for innovation and creativity, according to some experts from Carnegie Mellon University. China doesn’t have the same laws as other countries when it comes to intellectual property.
3. Violating International Treaties
Many issues do arise from China’s respect for national language laws, which have led to problems with local languages being banned from TV, music, and speaking their languages on radio stations. Local languages are given much more attention than the “national language”. This means that the people of China have to deal with issues like not being able to speak their language at home or on the radio, but also not being able to be proud of their language because it is prohibited from being heard.
4. Drug War At Home
China’s drug war is infamous for all its alleged human rights violations against those who are suspected of using drugs such as anti-drug agents, police officers, and even citizens who are suspected of drug use. China’s crackdown on drugs has allegedly killed over 12,000 people since it began in 1996, with millions of drug users having been sent to labor camps or simply never reported because of their status as drug offenders. Unfortunately, there has been no proper and full investigation done into the allegations of human rights violations when it comes to China’s drug war and this is something that can harm Chinese soft power at a global level.
5. Human Rights Violations
Chinese people have committed human rights violations against foreign nationals for years now. Although many people are willing to give and accept them as only an aberration by their government, many in the world are not willing to overlook these atrocities in Chinese society. According to some sources from Amnesty International on human rights in China, Amnesty International claims that they want China to comply with international laws concerning human rights issues worldwide and isn’t happy with
Cultural And Ideological Issues
1. The Government’s National Anthem
This is a huge controversy that has been going on in China since late 2010 when the Chinese government decided to remove The Internationale from the national anthem. It was a change that most Chinese people found to be improper and not right as it seems like “a big insult to our dignity”. The Chinese government went on with its plan to make the change and removed The Internationale from its place in the National Anthem until today. Finally, in recent years, they have been paying more attention to this issue and they have decided upon having the correct anthem again. This was a very controversial issue for China as it is seen by most people as an insult against them: “my ancestral land”. It is also worth mentioning that other symbols could be added for use by “the people” if they decide upon adding new symbols for China.
2. Banners Written On Streets
Those who do not know much about China may be unaware that Chinese people are very interested in making history. That is just an assumption of many people, but you can find out more about it by looking at the city streets where old civilizations are preserved. It can be difficult to see the various symbols and cultures that make up these cities, but some very creative people made a conscious effort to preserve them by placing Chinese symbols on them. They did this to show that their ancestors were interested in the same things we are: culture, family, and harmony with nature. However, there is one thing you should have noticed by now: most of these recreated cities/lands/marvels have been destroyed by the Chinese government for building large airports and other projects in their favor.
3. Ethnic (Han) Language Issues
Many issues do arise from China’s respect for national language laws, which have led to problems with local languages being banned from TV, music, and speaking their languages on radio stations. Local languages are given much more attention than the “national language”. This means that the people of China have to deal with issues like not being able to speak their language at home or on the radio, but also not being able to be proud of their language because it is prohibited from being heard.
4. The Ethnic Minority Areas
In recent years, there has been a rising threat towards ethnic minorities located in China. For example, Tibetans, Falun Gong practitioners, and Uighurs have all been facing persecution as well as other forms of discrimination and violence (incriminated by Human Rights Watch). However, despite all of this, the Chinese government is still seen as treating them “well” by many various international organizations (like the United Nations) but they are still seen as a threat by other groups that advocate for human rights. There is a huge disagreement among many ethnic groups in China about their treatment by the government: “they treat them pretty well”.
Conclusion
When we think of a communist country, the first country that comes to mind is China. After all, it is one of the last remaining Communist states in the world today, along with Cuba and Venezuela. But do these countries qualify as being “Communists” in any sense of the word? In its original sense, communism refers to a social and economic system where most property is owned by the state, and production is based on collective ownership rather than private ownership. Based on this definition, while China might identify itself as Communist, it doesn’t meet these criteria. There are many ways in which China is not even close to being a Communist country. This article explores why that is so and what it means for the future of China and its political ideology.
