文/龍安志(Laurence Brahm,美) 譯/李藝雯
不久前,我在《中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)》發(fā)表專欄文章《中國(guó)必勝》,指出中國(guó)人民和中華民族已經(jīng)戰(zhàn)勝了一個(gè)又一個(gè)危機(jī),有足夠的資金和決心再次戰(zhàn)勝冠狀病毒危機(jī)。
在中國(guó)生活的40年里,我親身觀察并參與了為應(yīng)對(duì)各種挑戰(zhàn)而作出的許多政策改革。我看到了中國(guó)人民團(tuán)結(jié)合作的一貫作風(fēng),看到了政府的政策在面臨危機(jī)和挑戰(zhàn)時(shí)的細(xì)致把握。經(jīng)驗(yàn)一次又一次地告訴我,當(dāng)危機(jī)發(fā)生時(shí),中國(guó)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人以理性、清醒的頭腦面對(duì)危機(jī)。中國(guó)人民也會(huì)很自覺地與政府的組織機(jī)構(gòu)協(xié)同工作,共同應(yīng)對(duì)這些危機(jī)時(shí)刻。
我生活在中國(guó)時(shí),這種模式一直在重復(fù)出現(xiàn),我相信這是植根于儒家傳統(tǒng)。道家和佛家的哲學(xué)影響對(duì)民族的文化心理的影響深遠(yuǎn),使人們能夠靈活應(yīng)對(duì)危機(jī),并在面對(duì)逆境時(shí)看到積極的希望。這種從消極中看到積極的能力,并利用這種感知將最困難的情況轉(zhuǎn)化為優(yōu)勢(shì),是中國(guó)文化植根于人民思想中根深蒂固的表現(xiàn)。
在繁榮時(shí)期,事情進(jìn)展順利,每個(gè)人都在做自己的事情。但在危機(jī)時(shí)刻,每個(gè)人都團(tuán)結(jié)在一起。這是中國(guó)文化的獨(dú)特之處,使人民可以共同反饋共同應(yīng)對(duì)。這就是我們?cè)谶@場(chǎng)令人難以置信的新冠病毒危機(jī)中所看到的情況。世界上還有哪里能夠因?yàn)檎恼邊f(xié)調(diào)力而使得十億以上的人待在家里自我隔離呢?這是對(duì)前所未有的流行病作出的集體反應(yīng)。世界上很少有地方是每個(gè)人都能以一種耐心的集體力量攜手抗疫。這是中國(guó)和中國(guó)人民獨(dú)有的。
在關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻,湖北省多地采取了封城措施。這不僅是對(duì)本國(guó)人民的責(zé)任,也是對(duì)國(guó)際社會(huì)的責(zé)任。我們現(xiàn)在都意識(shí)到這種冠狀病毒的致命威力,以及它無法解釋地在空氣中快速傳播的事實(shí)。封鎖和隔離的能力是能夠遏制任何病毒的第一步。但是,如果你想象一下,為了防止疫情在中國(guó)其他地區(qū)乃至整個(gè)世界傳播,湖北封城的規(guī)模之大令人難以置信。這是全球人道主義責(zé)任的真正行動(dòng),甚至以中國(guó)自己的經(jīng)濟(jì)和社會(huì)成本作為代價(jià)。
Not too long ago, I wrote a column forChina Daily, “China Shall Overcome,” observing that the Chinese people and nation have overcome one crisis after another in the past, and have the wherewithal and determination to do this again facing the coronavirus crisis.
I have both observed and participated in many of the reforms and policies of China to overcome challenges over the four decades living here. I have seen a consistent pattern of unity and cooperation among the Chinese people, and meticulous coordination of government policies when faced with a crisis or challenge. Experience has shown me, time and again, when a crisis occurs, China’s leadership faces it with a rational clear-headedness. Something seems to kick into the subconscious of both people and they work together in synergy with the organizational institutions of government to overcome these moments of crisis.
This pattern has been re-occurring throughout my life living in China and I believe that it is an innate aspect that has roots in Confucian tradition. Philosophical influences that are both Taoist and Buddhist embedded in the national cultural psyche allow for adept flexibility in response to crisis and a vision of positive hope when faced with negative adversity. This ability to see positive through negative and to use that perception to turn even the most dif ficult situations into advantages is a deeply rooted part of Chinese culture and the Chinese people.
At times of prosperity, when things are going well, everybody is out there doing their own thing. But in those moments of crisis everybody comes together. This is unique to the Chinese culture that allows them to respond and work together. This is what we see happening during this incredible coronavirus crisis. Where on earth could you have 100 billion plus people stay at home and self-quarantine as part of a coordinated government policy? This represents a collective response to an unprecedented epidemic. There are very few places in the world where everyone can come together in a patient collective force. This is unique to China and its people.
China has cordoned and locked down Hubei province. This is an act of responsibility not only to its own people, but to the global community as well. We are all aware now of the deathly potency of this coronavirus and the unexplainable occurrence of its rapid airborne spread. The ability to lock down and isolate is the first step to be able to contain any virus.But if you imagine the scale of what is happening in Hubei province to prevent this from affecting other parts of China and the world as a whole,it is incredible. This is a true act of global humanitarian responsibility.Even at China’s own economic and social costs.
When you talk about humanitarianism this is an act in the global interest. This ability of the Chinese culture, social fabric of its people and the organizational capability of the institutions that have been established in the country that allow China to respond quickly,decisively and collectively to a crisis of unbelievable and unforeseeable proportion.
Under such circumstances where the threat of this coronavirus is a threat to anybody, we can see everybody is collectively and patiently staying at home. Self-isolation and working at home remotely, working around the dangers in order to meet this challenge. I don’t think one would see this response in any of the western countries whose politicians and mainstream media are so quick to criticize China for everything it does.This is a distinctive, collective response among people to work and bond together in order to get through this crisis together.
One of the reasons why China is able to respond so effectively is the system of macro-management that evolved to address economic reform but is now being used to address a health and humanitarian crisis. Throughout the 1980s-1990s a system evolved of state guidance of the economy, together with checks and balances to prevent economic crisis, and the ability to tighten and loosen valves to allow the market to function in free- flow, or to use administrative means to guide the market to ward more stable conditions to prevent volatility.This is in the interest of everyone collectively rather than the selfinterest of a few.
Of course this coronavirus is having a terrible impact on China’s economy. Shops are closed, movement of goods restricted. This will have implications throughout the entire chain of production, transport and supplies not only in China but globally.
We see America isolationist policies causing alienation of other nations such as China. So it is foreseeable that we could see more collaborative arrangements in Asia, not only in economic policy and business,but also in combatting disease and crisis. This may be just a natural evolution of the times we live in now.
Once we get through this stage of containment and control of the coronavirus and its spread, then China will enter a new stage of its own economic growth, a re-boot period. The same types of reforms applied to business and enterprise and economy now need to be applied to the health care sector. These are areas that now offer opportunity for more state investment and private investment and there will be a new growth era with breakthroughs In science, technology and A.I. for health care.I believe these are areas where China will lead in bringing together other countries of the region, such as India, where there are similar challenges with population concentrations, water and food security,and health care. We could see a new regional growth and economic revitalization. It is a question of using negative to create positive. That is core to Chinese philosophy and culture.
當(dāng)你談?wù)撊说乐髁x時(shí),這是一種符合全球利益的行為。中國(guó)文化的這種能力、中國(guó)人民的社會(huì)結(jié)構(gòu)以及中國(guó)已經(jīng)建立的機(jī)構(gòu)的組織能力,使中國(guó)能夠迅速、果斷和集體地對(duì)難以置信并且無法預(yù)見的危機(jī)作出反應(yīng)。
在新冠肺炎疫情對(duì)任何人都構(gòu)成威脅的情況下,我們可以看到大家都在集體、耐心地待在家里。大家都自我隔離,在家遠(yuǎn)程工作,在危險(xiǎn)中工作,以迎接這一挑戰(zhàn)。我認(rèn)為在西方國(guó)家不會(huì)看到這樣的反應(yīng),然而他們的政客和主流媒體卻如此迅速地批評(píng)中國(guó)所做的一切。這是中國(guó)人民為了共同應(yīng)對(duì)這場(chǎng)危機(jī)而共同努力、團(tuán)結(jié)起來的一種獨(dú)特的集體反應(yīng)。
中國(guó)之所以能夠作出如此有效的反應(yīng),原因之一是曾用于應(yīng)對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)改革的中國(guó)的宏觀管理體系現(xiàn)在正被用于應(yīng)對(duì)衛(wèi)生和人道主義危機(jī)。在20世紀(jì)80年代至90年代,中國(guó)以一種政府指導(dǎo)的經(jīng)濟(jì)系統(tǒng),來防止經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)。系統(tǒng)可采取收緊和放松的方式,保證市場(chǎng)的自由流通功能,也可使用行政手段來保護(hù)穩(wěn)定的市場(chǎng)環(huán)境,以防止波動(dòng)。這符合所有人的集體利益,而不是少數(shù)人的私利。
當(dāng)然,此次的新冠病毒正在對(duì)中國(guó)的經(jīng)濟(jì)產(chǎn)生著可怕的影響。商店關(guān)門,貨物流通受到限制。這將對(duì)中國(guó)乃至全球的整個(gè)生產(chǎn)、運(yùn)輸和供應(yīng)鏈條產(chǎn)生影響。
我們看到美國(guó)的孤立主義政策導(dǎo)致了其他國(guó)家的疏遠(yuǎn),比如中國(guó)。因此,可以預(yù)見的是,我們可以在亞洲看到更多的合作,不僅在經(jīng)濟(jì)政策和商業(yè)方面,而且是在抗擊疾病和危機(jī)方面。這或許是我們現(xiàn)在生活的時(shí)代的自然演變。
一旦我們度過了這個(gè)遏制和控制新冠病毒及其傳播的階段,那么中國(guó)將進(jìn)入一個(gè)新的經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)階段,一個(gè)重新啟動(dòng)的時(shí)期。適用于商業(yè)、企業(yè)和經(jīng)濟(jì)的改革現(xiàn)在需要適用于衛(wèi)生保健部門。這些領(lǐng)域現(xiàn)在需要更多的國(guó)家投資和私募投資機(jī)會(huì),我們將迎來一個(gè)在科學(xué)、技術(shù)和醫(yī)療人工智能方面取得突破的新增長(zhǎng)時(shí)代。我相信,在這些領(lǐng)域,中國(guó)將發(fā)揮帶頭作用,把該地區(qū)的其他國(guó)家團(tuán)結(jié)起來,例如印度,那里同樣在人口密集、水和糧食安全以及醫(yī)療保健方面面臨著類似的挑戰(zhàn)。我們可以看到新的區(qū)域增長(zhǎng)和經(jīng)濟(jì)振興。把消極轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)榉e極,這是中國(guó)哲學(xué)和文化的核心。