Strategies for success
- By Zhang Jian
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E-mail China.org.cn, June 9, 2013
Secondly, China lays emphasis on coherent, integrated design, while Western countries are subject to partisan disputes.
China's long-term strategic objective is supported by phased objectives. In order to facilitate the implementation of the integrated design, all relevant ministries and interest groups are required to get involved in the process. The Chinese government's strategic design has taken into account all the major domestic and international issues. It has also incorporated different aspects into its overall strategic design: five-year plans, two centennial goals, balanced economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress are all concrete manifestations of China's integrated design concept.
In contrast, different political parties in Western countries only care about their own partisan interests. They fight elections to acquire power, caring little about the national economy and possessing limited strategic vision. The result is frequent power transition and bickering partisan interests, from which it is difficult to formulate a comprehensive, long-term strategic design.
Thirdly, China lays emphasis on multi-ministry coordination while Western countries are impeded by the concept of maintaining a balance of power.
Coordination is the foundation stone upon which the concept of Chinese collective action is based. The Chinese government disassembles the overall strategy and distributes each individual task to the relevant ministries. Smooth inter-ministerial communication and coordination is very important if strategic goals are to be realized. Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, which is China's largest and most important strategic objective, requires the concerted efforts of various domestic stakeholders. The Chinese central government has identified urbanization as an important foundation for China's development over the next decade. If this goal is to be achieved, there will need to be collaboration between, and innovation from all related ministries.
In Western countries, collective action requires maintaining the balance of power and this is a concept which is held in high regard. As a result, it is difficult for the central and local governments, or different ministries to take collective action. Under the federal system, the central government struggles to effectively push its strategy to all levels of government and decision making. Different ministries and departments fight for wealth and privilege and such competition delays or even impedes the implementation of the overall strategy. Though the balance of power has its positive aspects, in general it acts as a constraint to any grand strategy involving national development.
China is now at a critical juncture as it develops into a major global power. Whatever the specific policy goal, all such goals require a higher level of strategy. China should ensure that its strategic thinking continues to push its advantages while negating any weaknesses to achieve sustainable balancing development.
The author is a research fellow with the Institute for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Studies under the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.
This article was first published in Chinese and translated by Li Huiru.
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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