I recently returned from China where I attended a media seminar under the auspices of the Chinese Government. It was the first time I visited the country, and I left with many positive impressions.
Unlike most Western econom i es , C h i n a ’ s transformation into a powerful nation is relatively recent. For the past 60 years, China has developed from a poverty-stricken country to one of the world’s most developed countries. In fact, during the visit, I could see why some have argued that China has overtaken the United States of America to become the world’s largest economy. China is very developed economically, technologically and its cities are full of modern and impressive infrastructure. The quality of life is good, in general. One hardly sees homeless people on the streets as is the case with some developed countries. Besides, the people seem to genuinely care about others, including visitors. It appeared to me that China has developed to the level that each citizen has basic life needs and is content.
One key lesson that I think we can learn from the Chinese is hard work. China is a huge nation of over 1.2 billion people, hence what I experienced may not be a reflection of all Chinese citizens. However, from the people that I was able to observe and interact with, it was clear that the Chinese are diligent workers that are eager to contribute to their country’s development and are proud to share in its achievements. There was a sense of duty among the people that left me envious, considering the high levels of poverty prevailing in my home country. I could not help but wonder how far Malawi would go if we had that collective sense of duty and each one of us worked as hard as the Chinese.
The two weeks I spent around the Chinese made me realise that Malawians could learn a thing or two about just working hard without the need for a whip or the hope for a tip. Attributes of honesty, reliability, loyalty and devotion reflect in the Chinese attitude to work, and it is clear to see that each individual treats their job with great importance and considers it a service to their nation.
In a session during our seminars, one of the facilitators made reference to the Chinese Confucian teaching which, among others, instills a sense of trust and dependability among the people. As a visitor, I saw this play out a lot among the Chinese in their daily lives and in business. They are generally honest, trustworthy and respect time, something we take casually in Malawi to the extent that when one is late for important meetings, we casually dismiss it as ‘Malawi time’. Little do we remember that time is money, and its value is a key factor of the development that we desperately seek for our poor nation.
I was further impressed by how deeply rooted the Chinese are in their culture. Despite their massive levels of development, they remain true to their strong cultural values and a strong sense of community which makes them unique. They are well educated and advanced, but are very intentional about preserving their unique way of life—from maintaining their language as the lingua franca to their food culture. The authentic Chinese food is amazing and there is always plenty of variety on a table. The Chinese use meal times to connect and network, dedicating a full two hours to lunch.
The Chinese also have a heart warming hospitality. The Chinese I met would often go out of their way to help, even leaving their shop counter to walk you to your destination if one did not their way. I quickly learnt that this type of kindness is extended to just about everyone. The Chinese say that one depends on one’s parents at home, while outside, one relies on friends. As such, despite the huge population, they attach great importance to treating each other with empathy and dignity, regardless of one’s background.
There is a lot more that I learnt from China but space is limited, but what stood out for me was the people’s sense of patriotism, hard work and team spirit in achieving a common goal. One hardly sees a Chinese person sitting idle, waiting for their neighbour or their government to provide for them. Each works hard to improve their livelihood. There are definitely some that are needy, but from what I gathered, the communities and government have systems in place to support them and ensure they become self-reliant and not consistently dependent on others.
They put education as a priority and excelling in their chosen field is a continuous journey. No wonder they keep innovating, especially technologically, and have far outpaced the West in many aspects, including having the world’s fastest train, the bullet train.
These, and more, are lessons that Malawi can draw from. My view is that as a country, we have everything it takes to achieve what the once poverty-stricken China has achieved. The Chinese way of life demonstrates that with sound leadership, hard work, commitment and a shared vision can get you far.
