January 10th, 2003

CHINA'S ECONOMIC MYTH

 
Writing his daily column called Breakpoint, Chuck Colson has some interesting and solemn things to report on China ’s economy. The reason it is included on this web site is because every Christian needs to be aware of actual conditions existing in China because all of them affect the church and the spread of the gospel. This article impresses upon us the urgency to make use of the time we have to give forth the living Word in China today.
     Colson refers to an article in the New Republic, by foreign editor, Joshua Kurlantzick who states in the December 16 issue, that if you "look closely at the Chinese economy you’ll find a far less rosy situation than that portrayed in most of the business press." "Far less rosy" indeed: He calls the "Chinese economic miracle … a house of cards."  
     If that’s the case, why are American companies tripping all over themselves to invest in China ? Not because of "economic fundamentals." On the contrary, they ignore economic fundamentals out of fear that if they don’t enter the Chinese market, "their competitors will overtake them." One expert compares their behavior to that of lemmings, small animals that mindlessly follow each other off a cliff.
     The myth of the "Chinese economic miracle" is fostered by misleading and dishonest reports of the Government over the past two decades and a "falsification and exaggeration of statistics," as even a former premier has admitted. The best impartial analysis of the economy suggests low or even negative growth.
     Kurlantzick concludes, "Ultimately, China ’s economic facade probably will crack." Unfortunately, that crack won’t have come in time to keep us from compromising, or even abandoning, some of our ideals and values.
     In our dealings with China , we have looked away so often that it’s a wonder that we can look straight ahead anymore: Tiananmen Square, Tibet , slave-labor camps, forced abortions, and, of course, the persecution of Chinese Christians. We let these outrages slide by for the sake of trade and our competitiveness in the Chinese market—a market that may have existed only in our wildest dreams of avarice.
     The bad news is that we’ve forgotten this in our pursuit of the Chinese pot of gold. The good news is that there’s still time to re-order our relationship with Beijing in a way that honors what we profess: freedom, human dignity, and justice.  (End of quote)
     That brings us to our purpose. It is to pray that Christians will understand the times and the prophetic Scriptures. The coming of the Lord is drawing near and we must be aware that nations will be opposed to God’s kingdom. China will be no exception, but while it is day, and while there are tremendous opportunities, we must pray that we will not be consumed with the pursuit of money, but with spreading the good news to China ’s millions by every possible means.