Xi Jinping on the importance of scholarship

China is building socialism with Chinese characteristics. In this road to socialism with Chinese characteristics, two major policy thrusts are playing the key role, namely, reforms and opening up. The questions to be asked: why reforms and why opening up? China is at the moment the second largest economy in the world. Faster economic growth and accelerated reduction of poverty has been possible due to reforms and opening up. China has been a victim of imperialist encirclement, which kept the country isolated. China could not take advantage of gains from trade and technology transfer. Changed geopolitics since 1971 provided China opportunities for opening up. The policy of opening up took concrete shape with the beginning of reforms in 1978 under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping. Setting up special economic zones in the coastal areas and allowing foreign private investment provided China opportunities to learn about advanced technologies and the art of efficient management. In the rural areas, introduction of production responsibility system gave farmers incentives to grow higher yields. Under this system, farmers were granted freedom to sell surplus output in the market. The process of marketisation became visible first in the rural areas. All these apparently capitalist type features created confusion among many genuinely socialist minded persons that China was abandoning socialism. However, this was not the case. Before revolution, China was a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society. Transition to socialism in such a country is bound to be complex and lengthy, even peculiar too. China could not build socialism in one go without having strong foundation of advanced productive forces. Development of productive forces called for market incentives in many areas. The theoretical premise is that an advanced production relation cannot be realized on the foundation of backward productive forces. It is quite natural that certain negative features may appear in the society. As we all know, it was predicted that opening windows would bring flies and mosquitoes. Despite isolated negative tendencies, the creative development of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong thought in the form of socialism with Chinese characteristics has elevated China to a new height as it stands now.

China's opening up policy also includes sending Chinese students to advanced capitalist countries to acquire advanced knowledge in science, technology and other disciplines. The importance of foreign returned scholars and Chinese overseas scholars have been highlighted in a speech captioned 'Right Time to Innovate and Make Dreams Come True' by Xi Jinping, President  of  China.  This speech is included in a book titled The Governance of China published by the Foreign Languages Publishing Co. Ltd, Beijing. Being an academician myself, I found the speech very enlightening. Admittedly, the whole book is a treasure for learning. The emphasis on innovation and making dreams come true is recognition of the imperatives of development process. Harvard Professor Sollow in his growth model gave innovation the central role. Economies tend to stagnate without innovation due to operation of the law of diminishing returns. The way out is innovation. Xi Jinping keeps on emphasising on the importance of innovation for making China's dream come true. First, Xi Jinping expects foreign returned and overseas scholars to adhere to patriotism. Second, he urges that they will study hard. Third, he urges them to be more innovative and creative. Fourth, he hopes they will work for dynamic exchanges with other countries.

Xi Jinping also narrated the history of the Western Returned Scholars Association. He says, "Founded 100 years ago when the survival of the nation was at stake, the Western Returned Scholars Association practiced patriotism by organising its members to participate in patriotic and democratic movements and join the cause for national salvation and people's liberation, thus becoming a famous patriotic association for democracy and science at that time. …Since the beginning of China's reform and opening up, the Association has energetically carried out the serve the country program," making itself a people's organisation dedicated to socialism with Chinese characteristics. In 2003, with approval from the central authorities, the Association was given an additional name – the Chinese Overseas- educated Scholars Association – with its scope of operation expanded to cover the entire country and its members spreading all over the world."

As we read about the evolution of the Association, we see that all foreign educated scholars of China, whether they are living in the country or abroad, carry importance to the nation. Xi Jinping says, "If you decide to stay abroad we will support you in serving the country in various ways. All of you should remember that wherever you are you are a member of the Chinese family; the country and the people back home always care about their sons and daughters, and your homeland is always a warm spiritual land for you." There is a lingering concern in the third world countries about brain drain. But the Chinese leadership has adopted a very pragmatic policy regarding scholars deciding to stay abroad. In a globalised world, scholars can serve their nation even by staying abroad, provided they are imbued with the spirit of patriotism. The Chinese state commits to support them in various ways.

To me the most fascinating part of this speech is Xi Jinping's emphasis on hard work. He has called upon the foreign educated scholars to keep the perseverance and diligence in reading as related in stories of Confucius, Sun Jing and Su Qin, Kuang Heng, Che Yin and Sun Kang. He also emphasises upon learning from other people's practical experience. The name of ancient Chinese scholars and philosophers referred by Xi Jinping were all arduous readers. Among them, the story of one scholar may be mentioned to press home the point about their persistence in reading and study. Sun Jing of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) loved reading. He tied his hair to a roof beam to prevent himself from falling asleep when reading. Very few state leaders are found urging upon scholars to read following ancient scholars, who maintained serious reading habit under difficult circumstances. In our country there is the example of Scholar Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah who prayed to God to extend his life so that he could read more. Xi Jinping's speech successfully drives home the point that Chinese scholars, irrespective of the fact whether they live in the country or stay abroad, have a great role to play for China's modernisation and fulfilling the China dream.

The writer is a former Chairman and Professor of the Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka.