原标题:大胆拥抱中国,或为性价比最高的全球化选择
Embracing and benefiting from China the best choice for the world
(图via Xinhua)
During my Cairo visit, I suggested to a few Egyptian diplomats that their country should allow visa-free entry for Chinese passport holders so they could visit and help promote Egypt‘s economic development。 I was surprised to hear the reasons why this would be difficult。 Apparently, there aren’t enough hotels, only a few shopping malls, an underdeveloped payment system, and a shortage of Chinese tour guides。 If there are too many Chinese traveling in Egypt, the country could not handle it, they explained。
在开罗,我与多位埃及外交官建议,埃及应给予中国护照免签待遇,这样就会有更多的中国旅行者来埃及,促使埃及经济发展。让我稍有意外的是埃方的为难:埃及酒店不够,购物商厦不多,支付系统不发达,中文导游也缺乏,要是中国人来太多,埃及不一定能承受。
China and Egypt have always enjoyed friendly relations。 Egypt is a popular tourist destination, but its government has not fully opened its arms to Chinese visitors。 At least 150 million Chinese citizens traveled to international destinations in 2018, with roughly 500,000 visiting Egypt。 Data showed Chinese tourists on average spent$5,565 on overseas travel in 2017, while average expenditures per US visitor overseas were$1,476。
中埃关系不错,埃及是旅游大国,但埃及政府显然对中国旅行者还持有保留态度。中国人每年有1.5亿人次出境,但中国人赴埃及的旅游者仅有20万人,远远不及赴泰国1000万、日本800万,连邻国土耳其100万都远远不如。数据显示2017年中国人出境人均消费5,565美元,是排名第二位美国人的3倍,占全球国际旅游者消费的25%,但在埃及的消费,不及中国人境外总额的0.1%。
By contrast, some countries with tourism facilities who were not as ebullient toward Chinese visitors in the past have since changed。 More than 60 countries, including Russia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Iran, offer Chinese tourists visas on arrival or have dropped their visa requirements。
相比之下,一些拥有旅游资源、过去对中国人不太积极的国家正在转变。俄罗斯、阿塞拜疆、乌兹别克斯坦、伊朗等60多个国家都给了中国旅行者落地签或免签。
In 2017, the Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow began offering signs in three languages, Russian, English, and Chinese。 The number of Chinese visiting Russia has increased every year and could reach 2 million for 2019。In Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, the Bole International Airport offers signs in Chinese and businesses accept WeChat payment。 The changes have helped the country attract more Chinese tourists and investment。
2017年,圣彼得堡、俄罗斯机场悄然换上了三语标识(俄文、英文与中文)。中国人赴俄旅游人数年均增长迅猛,2019年有望达到200万。埃塞俄比亚首都亚的斯亚贝巴,机场也有了中文标识,还能微信支付,吸引了越来越多的中国投资。
I can understand the hesitation of Egypt‘s government。 It is a general reaction of many countries toward the growing number of incoming Chinese tourists。 These countries desire good relations with China, draw on China’s experience, while attracting greater Chinese spending, trade, and investment。 But they lack adequate infrastructure and technology, some have worried they cannot cope with China, while others don‘t want to become too dependent on it, or they’re afraid of the country‘s emergence。
当然,我完全理解埃及政府的迟缓。这是许多国家对“中国人来了”的普遍心态。他们希望与中国搞好关系,参考中国经验,吸引更多中国消费、贸易、投资,但本国的基础设施与软件却没准备好,有的担心无法应对中国,有的还担心过于依赖中国,甚至对中国崛起的未来充满恐惧。
There are Chinese reasons behind such concerns。 Group tour preferences, an obsession with shopping, and some Chinese tourists are too loud for some places。 Besides, Chinese tourists cannot be said to have the best manners。 Chinese investment is not always perfect as some of it have led to excessive creditor‘s rights or could place local environments at risk, while others need to make construction quality improvements。
这里当然有中国方面的原因,中国游客喜欢组团游,过于热衷购物,有的大声喧哗,有的不讲究卫生,乱丢垃圾,不算是最讲文明的国际旅游团组。中国投资也未必都完美,有的债权过大,有的项目对环境破坏产生风险、有的工程质量尚需提高。
China is the most peaceful rising power in history。 In the 16th century, Portugal, Spain, and Holland set off the Age of Discovery, exploring the world while bringing about early colonization。 In the 18th century, the capital era began with Britain, France, and Germany as the main forces, which started the Industrial Revolution while creating the slave trade and the wars between powers。
但与历史上的大国比较,中国仍是最温和、最文明的崛起大国。16世纪,葡萄牙、西班牙、荷兰人掀起的大航海时代,带给人类的是对陌生世界的探索,却伴随着早期的殖民;18世纪开始以英国、法国、德国人为主力的资本时代,带给人类的是工业革命,却也伴随着奴隶贸易与列强战争。
In the 20th century, WWI and WWII took the world to the worst condition in human civilization history。 And then the Cold War arrived。
20世纪上半叶,一战、二战将世界带入到了人类文明的谷底,而下半叶的美苏冷战,除了不平等贸易、金融与经济体系下对发展中国家的继续剥削之外,还有的就是大国沙文主义、代理人战争、帝国干预、金融制裁,并没有改变二战后上百个独立国家的贫穷命运。
In contrast, the rise of China has had the fewest disadvantages for globalization。 I feel that China is not fully prepared to become a global power。 Its globalization policy and talent reserves are far behind compared with Chinese international tourists and investors。
相比之下,中国崛起带动的走出去,无疑是“缺点最少的”全球化。坦率地讲,我不认为,中国完全准备好当一个全球强国,中国的全球化政策与人才储备远远落后于中国的国际旅行者、投资者的脚步,而后者数量庞大,素质又往往参差不齐。
The world is faced with the challenge of how to accept a rising China。 Many countries are slowly adjusting, but many are hesitating。 Unfortunately, some countries have hindered and have been unwilling to accept the fact China is more open to the world。
世界面临着如何接纳崛起中国的世纪难题。许多国家在慢慢调整,但也有许多国家在犹豫、迟疑。糟糕的是,还有一些国家在阻碍,不愿意接受中国走出去的事实。
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the theory“End of History。” Francis Fukuyama, the theory‘s founder, has reconsidered that history has not yet ended and real-world history has only started。 The Chinese are undoubtedly the pioneers, explorers, and innovators of this new world history。
2019年是“历史终结论”提出的30周年。始作俑者弗兰西斯•福山已反思,历史尚未终结,真正的世界历史刚刚开始。中国人无疑是新的世界历史的开拓者、探索者与创新者。
Cognitive differences, ideological biases, and divergent interests are not insurmountable obstacles in the face of global changes。 The key is to maintain a positive and inclusive attitude toward global changes with China as the main impetus。
我觉得,最好的方式仍是融合与磨合。认知差异,意识形态偏见,利益分歧,在全球大变局面前都不算是难以逾越的障碍。关键是对以中国为主要变量的全球大变局保持着积极、开放的心态。
Embracing, influencing, and benefiting from China may not be easy, but it is the most cost-effective choice for the world。
拥抱中国,影响中国,获益中国,可能不一定容易,却不失为性价比最高的全球化选择。
(作者是中国人民大学重阳金融研究院执行院长、中美人文交流研究中心执行主任Wang Wen)
责任编辑:张申