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Not time to spread our growth model

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-02 07:47

Since China is still a developing country, it is not the proper time for it to spread the semi-finished "China growth model" to other countries, says Changjiang Daily. Excerpt:

The major task of a new think tank, China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE), is to spread the "China growth model" across the world.

A US economist put forward the concept in his paper on China in May 2005. It says China's innovative actions and bold practices have created an independent development model that suits its domestic conditions. Chinese scholars usually use "China model" or "China experience" to refer to this concept. The model has become a hot topic of discussion again because of the global economic crisis.

The "China model" has drawn people both from the developed and developing countries. The successful experience of China must contain something useful for other developing countries, and hence their eagerness to copy it. But the voluntary marketing of this model seems contradictory to the essence of the model itself.

The major characteristics of the "China model" lies with China taking a road suited to its ground realities. China insists there is no omnipotent development model, and every country has its own special system. They should thus choose and explore their own development roads.

Plus, many people still doubt whether China's development experience can be considered a mature model. China's growth has achieved remarkable results, but it has created problems, too, such as waste of resources, rampant spread of corruption, growing gaps between regions and the poor and the rich, and the breaking up of the social welfare system.

So we should maintain our guard even if foreigners praise our achievements, for this is not the time for China to spread its development experience. Instead, it should try to perfect its model and maintain a healthy development.

(China Daily 07/02/2009 page9)