On October 3, Victor Zhikai Gao spoke about China’s transformation under President Deng Xiaoping, for whom he served as translator. Gao is the first influential politician from mainland China to speak at Middlebury, and he held the undivided attention of a packed Dana Auditorium for almost two hours.
Gao discussed China’s efficient, single-party government — the ease with which they can simply decide on a long-term plan for China’s development. His comparisons between the Chinese and the American styles of government were particularly resonant because of the elections going on now. Gao mentioned a Republican friend of his who said, “We are pleased that the unemployment rate is as high as it is because it will give us a better chance in November.” Gao said that the comment surprised him because that such a statement would sound absurd in a one-party country like China.
Few can boast a resume comparable to Gao’s. During the 1980s, Gao worked at the Chinese Foreign Service as Deng Xiaoping’s English translator focusing on China-U.S. relations, making him a bridge between two of the Cold War’s largest powers during the war’s conclusion. Gao also has experience in law and private equity. He was Senior Vice President of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, which is one of the three major national oil companies in China. Positions with the United Nations Secretariat, Morgan Stanley and the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission augment Gao’s strikingly multi-dimensional experience. Assistant Professor of Political Science Jessica Teets introduced Gao by listing these positions as just “the highlights” of his resume.
Gao described the developmental fervor of China, the single-minded, single-party drive towards sophistication.
“In China, parents gave children born in the 1950s names that translate to ‘Surpass Great Britain!’ and ‘Overtake the United States!’” he said.
These names were features of the nationalism inspired by Mao Zedong. Mao’s economic strategies were limited by the philosophy that everyone must prosper equally. But when President Deng rose to power, he declared that, as translated by Gao, “Development is the hard truth.” Gao pointed to Deng’s assertion that “some people can become rich ahead of others,” as a policy breakthrough. As related in Gao’s presentation, Deng’s vision was to reach “a little comfort,” by the early 21st century and “[to] become a middle-level developed country” by the middle 21st century.
China’s actual achievements go far beyond this vision. In 1978, China held $168 million in foreign reserve currency. Through the intensive development of manufacturing and China’s emergence as, in Gao’s words, “a Champion of free trade and market economy,” China now holds roughly $2.4 trillion in reserve.
Gao explained the explosive quality of China’s development in terms of work ethic.
“The Chinese want to work,” he said. “In China, we did not understand why the French went on strike demanding that the retirement age be lowered to 62. In China, retirement is like a death sentence. There is glory only in work.”
Gao also gave more specific reasons: China has 1.4 billion consumers working within one single and unified market, one legal system, one party, and one government. Education is highly emphasized, and the older generation is willing to sacrifice for the younger generation. China is making large investments in green technology because, to paraphrase Gao, there is not enough oil left in the earth for 1.4 billion Chinese to consume as Americans do now.
Gao mentioned the increasingly high stakes in Sino-American diplomacy and the certainty with which China’s economy will grow larger than the US’s. He concluded by saying, “In history, the world’s most powerful empire has never allowed its position to be taken by another, rising power without a war. It is our greatest task to defy history.”
Former Chinese president’s advisor speaks
Comments
