China: Powering Ahead Without Apologies

Guest Columnist By Constance Ikokwu

I was invited to the 2025 Media Cooperation Forum on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) earlier this month by People’s Daily China, the most influential newspaper in that country with 5 million daily print circulation. I had no expectations. My interest as a journalist was simply to go with an open mind. I wanted to learn as much as possible, and learning, I did.

The first stunning observation is that China is much more than what is portrayed in international mainstream media. Although, it’s my second visit to the country, this time, the depth of understanding was acute, given the number of places visited, and the amount of information at my disposal. The realities on the ground are counter to long-held perceptions that were built over time from consuming global media.

I understand that this was a curated trip, and may be totally different if one travelled alone as a stranger in a new country. In that instance, one will be faced with the vagaries of navigating an unfamiliar environment. The language barrier often makes even simple tasks like asking for directions or reading signs challenging, while the sheer scale of the cities, with their sprawling streets and crowded transport systems, can leave one feeling disoriented. Differences in culture, food, and daily customs further add to the sense of being out of place, testing patience and adaptability. Yet, these very difficulties also enrich the experience.

You may not like the Chinese style of doing things, and you will not in some cases. The system can be a bit rigid compared to for instance, what we’re used to in African settings. I wonder about independent mind and thought in that country. The level of freedom that we have in Nigeria and Africa in general, I imagine is limited in China.

Having said that, it’s difficult not to acknowledge the astonishing achievements the country has made owing to clarity of vision, sheer hard work, doggedness and tenacity. China is an ambitious country. It seems that the level of investments it makes in education, industry, innovation, technology, agriculture and all endeavours of mankind is unmatched. It has zero tolerance for shenanigans, and mediocrity, and the results speak for itself.

I will say though, that some of the cities, especially Beijing, can feel overwhelming because of its vast scale, where towering skyscrapers, massive government complexes, and endless apartment blocks dominate the skyline, making the city seem both imposing and unending. The sheer size of its roads, the density of its traffic, and the constant rush of millions of people add to the intensity, while the blend of modern infrastructure with sprawling historic sites can leave visitors feeling dwarfed. But hey, it’s a country of 1.4 billion people.

I’ll share further observations under a few broad areas that I’ve titled: Politics/Leadership; Economy; Social capital; and Global Initiative.

Politics/Leadership – China’s political system is water-tight. The first thing that struck me is that this is truly a sovereign nation. This is remarkable in light of my experience from a country and a continent with pseudo leaders running errands for foreign powers. China has territorial integrity. It is in charge of its domain.

Nationally, the country favours nomination and selection of leaders, which has its pros and cons. As a visitor, it was obvious all leaders walk in total submission to the overall agenda of the country. They align with the common vision of China. Every single top official that spoke was saying the same thing in different ways. Essentially, no one was deviating from the official talking point.

My interpretation of this is that the political system weeds out riff-raff politicians parading as leaders. There’s little space for those more inclined to hero worship and primitive accumulation. Leadership is reserved for those ready to lead, and willing to fall in line with the national agenda. It doesn’t mean there are no weaknesses. There have been reported incidents of malfeasance in public office; occasional fraud; leaders found wanting of wrong doing. But they deal with it.

Economy – China is the second largest economy in the world after the United States of America. From a communist background, it is now a market economy that has lifted millions of its people out of poverty. Its model though, prefers dominance of public ownership and state-owned enterprises. Politically it is still communist. Economically, it has modernised. President Xi Jinping once termed it a “socialist market economy.”

I often describe China as the ‘factory’ of the world in relation to the level of production that goes on there. Infrastructure including roads, bridges, railway, dams, nuclear energy, and more are built by Chinese. Gone are the days Chinese products were viewed as inferior. They’ve acquired mastery and sophistication in production. The lesson in this is that you learn by doing.

We visited China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC) and Great Wall Motors (GWM). These are behemoths. CEEC is one of the world’s largest power companies, with advanced technology in wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, coal and more. With determination, the country says its share of green energy is reaching 60%. This is progress given a history of pollution due to rapid industrialisation.

A tour of GWM state-of-the-art factory in Xushui, Beijing, was a stunning discovery of the power of innovation, and what is possible through advanced robotics and a highly trained workforce. That factory alone produces 750,000 cars annually and has a staff of over 80,000 people. It has ten other factories across the country.

Everywhere you look in China, the engines are humming.

Social Capital – Strong social capital is crucial in every society because it not only builds resilient communities, but also underpins economic development, good governance, and sustainable social progress. My impression is that the Chinese are highly disciplined. They have a high work ethic, self-respect and dignity. It is impossible to reach this level of advancement without these qualities. People are self-aware and contributing to the overall good. There are rules, norms, values, and expectations that govern interactions. There also seems to be stiff punishments that enforce the norms.

A good example was a mild incident on the day we were departing Beijing. One of the participants was late in joining the bus to the airport. A couple of us tried to reason with our guide. He was visibly agitated. Why? He told us that the driver of the bus could be punished if we were late. The severity in his tone when he used that word “punish,” was an indication to me that this was a society that did not stomach nonsense.

Time matters because it is order. Adherence to time is not just a convenience, it is the foundation of modern society. It is the underlying currency of efficiency. A society that recognises time as the bedrock of order gains the ability to function with predictability. 

Global Initiative – The Chinese government over the years has been extending a hand of friendship across the world. This is deliberate. It is curating these friendships through strategic projects including the BRI. We know that the BRI’s stated fundamental goal is to promote economic cooperation and partnerships through trade, and investment. Along with that comes soft power. The rhetoric is carefully selected to mirror these intentions.

In every forum, China does not sit on the chair of a conqueror, or a superior. In fact, it still describes itself as a developing country due to income disparities, real development challenges, regional inequalities, etc.

The language used is benign and consistent. Government officials all speak of “shared responsibility for mutual outcomes,” “people-to-people bond,” “shared development,” “shared future,” “common aspirations,” “deepening exchanges,” “shared prosperity,” “building bridges,” “win-win cooperation,” “mutual learning,” ‘collective strength,” “silk spirit of inclusiveness,” “peace and development,” “mutual assistance,” “harmonious co-existence,” “amicable ties,” “shared destiny,” “joint contribution,” and the like.

China hammers on multilateralism and building consensus as opposed to unilateralism. It clearly wants to see a new global framework that it believes should be more equal. Little wonder the Chinese President had launched a couple of initiatives such as the Global Security Initiative, Global Civilisation Initiative, Global Governance Initiative, and the Global Development Initiative to enhance international cooperation. With an enhanced international stature, China is proposing its own ideas of a different global system.

President Xi Jinping is also intent on promoting South-south cooperation. It behoves countries in this geographical location, particularly in Africa, to make the best of these opportunities, by ensuring that it is truly a win-win. African leaders need to leverage politically and economically.

Again, you may not like the Chinese way. But it is what it is. China is powering ahead without apologies.