The Year of the Dragon is coming. China is growing into a "consumer dragon," but the spending volume during the Spring Festival is still far less than that of Christmas in the West, it is not treated as such.
What kind of dragon is China? It's a worrying question to ask, with implicit motives. Dragons only exist in fictional stories, but their image in the West is much worse than in China. It seems we can only hope to improve this image by bringing China to prosperity and democracy.
China has been forced to change its label of being "ambiguous." Some people predict that the tension over Iran and Syria, and the challenges facing the world economy will force China to voice its opinions more.
What they say is true to some extent. The world's second largest economy can never stay isolated, and it's not necessarily a bad thing to step onto center stage. As long as the Chinese society embraces its newfound position, it will quickly see the benefits of it.
China should not set too high a standard for itself, or fear making mistakes, as having a place on the world stage allows for some leeway.
What we should especially keep in mind is that China is the arriviste in the world club, and is destined to be teased or scorned by others, and we should therefore forget about "face."
We must get ready for economic loss in order to be tenable to stand up to our rivals, and flex our military muscles for that purpose. Only in this way will the world change for China.
This year, China is the most predictable among world powers. China's economic development faces mounting pressure, but the GDP growth will remain strong, while "surprises" during leadership change would be few.
China should become a tangible dragon. We should not pursue an impeccable image, but try to better ourselves as best as possible. China's true power comes from its sheer size, which is also a source of its headaches. There are no absolutes in China.
While there is positive news on State television, there is simultaneously negative news or rumors on the Internet. Isn't this dynamic balance interesting?
China still has a long way to go before it is accepted and respected. Maybe the day will come when China's GDP grows to equal that of all Western countries combined. As we realize how far away that is, we are not in any rush. We also don't believe in the possibility of a future allout conflict between China and the US, as it is the last thing the American people, like us, want.
Enjoy this Spring Festival for now. It looks to be the most prosperous Year of the Dragon yet. Let unpleasant memories be forgotten, and embrace our good luck. There will be more trouble after the holidays, but such is life.