George N. Tzogopoulos - The Miracle of China: The New Symbiosis with the World

Jointly published with China Social Sciences Press

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The author wrote this book in the hope to contribute to the herculean task of understanding China, in a complex world, full with uncertainties. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates conditions, creates natural neurosis, and multiplies dystopia fears. Cooperation remains the desideratum but the zeal in forging a modus vivendi in the spirit of global peace, prosperity, and stability is not always taken for granted. Paradoxically, China remains predictable. Its policies are reflecting a long-term thinking that seeks to address endogenous and exogenous challenges patiently, methodically, and systematically. Chinese people suffered great misery and even humiliation in between 150 and 200 years but are currently able to be self-confident by starting to realize their own Dream, as President Xi Jinping promised them in 2012. The eradication of absolute poverty is the beginning of the expected improvement of their living conditions. History is a mirror for China. The countrys conduct is grounded in a synthesis of its ancient civilization with the ongoing innovative transformation. Both are echoed in its domestic and international development and presence.

The first physical, at the professional level, contact of the author with Chinese people was made in 2010. At that time, journalists from China were stationed or were travelling to his country, Greece, to cover the European debt crisis. After several interviews and meetings with them, he realized that their work went beyond the coverage of the crisis itself to a meticulous attempt of interpreting the European Union, the West in general. The door of an unexpected, long-lasting collaboration had already opened and made the author passionate to dig, discover, and learn about China, while wondering whether Western and Chinese perspectives could coincide in a harmonious manner in a changing world. The difficulty in finding an answer in spite of Chinas predictability makes the ones who try prognostics about the future often resemble to Greek priestess Pythia while she was seating in the Oracle shrine of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, a role the author does not wish to play.

The book is composed of six chapters. Chapter elaborates on the Belt and Road Initiative. It gazes at its historical roots and aims at outlining how the study of the ancient Silk Road trade corridor has been converted into a concrete concept and vision that nurtures organic connectivity in the world. The adjective organic in particular that accompanies the connectivity lemma highlights the special characteristics of the massive integration platform, which are also expanding into the digital sphere. Data collected from different international organizations and statistical authorities exhibit the scale of the Belt and Road Initiative in this section.

Chapter functions as a case state that examines relations between an EU and NATO member state, Greece, with China. The cultural proximity between them has permitted a good mutual understanding, while the engagement of COSCO Shippings in the port of Piraeus has revealed its dynamics. The reorganization of this port makes it a pearl in the Mediterranean that unleashes the potential of connectivity towards different dimensions.

Chapter manifests, the Chinese government embarked on an unprecedented effort to place it under control by applying draconian, holistic measures, the first in the world. Data presented quantify the success, and Chinese policies in support of multilateralism against the invisible enemy are monitored, including the invention and distribution of vaccines. Amid general cacophony, the book does not look at international cooperation through the prism of the heterogeneity of governance models, which is not antithetical to peace and prosperity expectations raised by international community.

Sino-Greek relations are impressively developing in recent years, especially since the emblematic investment of COSCO to the Port of Piraeus. The Chinese economic presence now extends from energy networks to residence acquisitions, together with golden visas. For Greek merchant shipping, which sets the tone in the global shipping market, China has been for many years a preferential partnerin terms not only of transport and new sea routes but also of building new ships. Greek businessmen are currently endeavouring to establish themselves in China on a more realistic basis after the initial enthusiastic but perhaps somewhat superficial approach from the Greek side. China, as a tourist market, constitutes a colossal stock. Collaboration between universities and research institutes unleashes many new possibilities. The historical self-consciousness of the peoples of the two countries who represent great cultural traditions functions as a solid foundation of mutual respect.

However, it is obvious that the promising mobility in Sino-Greek relations, and especially the depth of the bilateral cooperation are influenced by parameters that Greeceas one of the two partiesis unable to determine alone. Greece is a member of the European Union, the Eurozone, and NATO and needs to take into account the broader framework of EU-China relations but also the practice of bilateral relations developed by the other member states of the Union with China. These do not always coincide not only in the crucial area of South-east Europe and the so-called 17 + 1 initiative but also in the Union on the whole, and in particular in relation to the bigger and stronger partners.