Understanding The Chinese Culture

Culture according to Edward Taylor (1976) is “A complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, arts, law, custom, morals and any other capacities and habits acquired by man as member of society”. Taylor makes distinction of subculture which refers to people who have migrated from their place of origin to other places but still upholds their original identity, while universal culture dwells on learned behavior and patterns irrespective of cultural origin and these may include application of leadership rules and concept of privacy, use of gender and age amongst others. This article underlines the predicament of the Chinese culture and how it has pushed the country to occupy its present ranking in the world.

The Eastern Asian country China stands tall among its neighbors from the North, South, West, and East with very fascinating human and natural factors which originate from the country’s ancient civilization that has had the good, the bad, and ugly moments which all culminates to a remarkable China on the lips and bounds of every dick and tom. The uniqueness of the Chinese culture has stood the test of time as an indivisible factor and backbone to their outstanding growth and development. The mighty China has moved from one innovation to another keeping intact its history, originality and cultural heritage.

To the best of my understanding the ever expanding, innovative and creative ideas of the Chinese people lies in their culture that has made the country to blossom and attain international recognition best described as a “paradox of positivity”. The Chinese culture of “Can do mentality” which is common among Asian countries has widen the country’s horizon making it a connecting belt of entertainment in Asia. China’s entertainment facilities are a combination of traditional and modern structures that gives a vivid memory of the cultural heritage of this dynamic country. Traditional display and music during performances portrays some unique cultural outfits that gives an impression to visitors that they are in a country that welcomes everyone with no distinction of color, race, culture, ethnic group or identity. Present day entertainment in China has taken a new dimension where cultural and modern entertainment facilities exist as common identities and visitors are kept spell bound as they watch with satisfaction and anxiety. Spreading from one city to another, open door and indoor entertainment spots have imposing and protruding cultural structures that even the blind can feel their warmth and glamour.A combination of architectural know-how and expertis in the construction of  entertainment facilities gives visitors a refreshing feeling where the mind and soul can be at peace.

The Chinese culture is held in high esteem reason why many ancient sites have been short listed on the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites. Such sites include the Imperial palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing, the historic seat of the Dalai Lama, the Ancient villages in Southern Anhui, the Ancient city of Pingyao and many others. Some of these sites are located on the flanks of mountains and valleys that harbor some natural vegetation with its undulating steepness and spectacular geographic features. These sites are a symbol of natural beauty with a mixture of ancient and modern structures. A glance of these cultural heritage gives a vivid picture of the unity and success of the Chinese people who have worked so hard to preserve their culture in a world where globalization seem to be dismantling all cultural barriers. Tourist who visit cultural sites are spell bound with the unique traditional dresses and colorful regalia put on by very flexible men and women who swing from one end to another with very captivating smiles and gestures that gives visitors the feeling of belonging. Their cultural outfit carries attractive, captivating, tantalizing and gorgeous colors which symbolizes unity in diversity.

The Chinese are proud of their cultural identity which gives strength to the people. This cultural bond has strengthen China’s economic identity as one of the most creative and innovative economies in the world. The Chinese people through the “Can do mentality” have fought hard to occupy the position of the second largest economy in the world as they engage in major manufacturing and infrastructural development around the world. China has penetrated to almost all continents of the globe because they feel they can do what other world powers have been doing and even do it much better.

China’s cultural pattern has attracted and is still attracting multinational companies around the world to invest in China despite the almost saturated market. Branded as a communist country where freedom of speech is prohibited and there is gross human rights violation, the people’s conviction of overcoming all obstacles has made some world giants not to be too critical about the present modus operandi but to fine-tune better ways of recognizing the people and their culture and what they stand for as a nation.

China through its culture of “Forward ever and backward never” has become a great friend of the world especially developing countries. China has cut across mainstream development initiatives with fabulous loan and aid packages that have attracted limping nations to embrace them without any reservation. China through this policy which some scholars call “Development without borders” is helping to change the lives of people who have qualified China as a friend indeed. In areas some donor countries designate as “no go zones” China has put in working machineries that dismantle stumbling blocks of any kind. Chinese merchants have successfully invested in regions around the world where very few businessmen will venture to take such a risk.

China's success is gradually reversing the way people do business around the world. Multinational companies or individual business magnets no longer search for specific business hubs but create opportunities from the unimaginable. What may be termed as the Chinese miracle drew very little attention from the beginning but the people’s believe in their culture of "No surrender"  is pushing them to get to the summit of their ambitions.

Conclusively, China has demonstrated to the rest of the world that countries can create opportunities even if they are at the bottom position but have ambitions to get to higher heights with the sky as their only limit. China is often accused of copying or pirating from others but this has never stopped their ambition of being a great nation. I have the conviction that the Chinese culture gave a blue print to their ever expanding development initiative both at home and abroad pushing surrounding nations to also expand their development vision. No country in the world has a perfect record or modus operandi as such criticisms on China to an extent should not be exaggerated because they merit where they are in terms of hard work, creativity, and innovation.

 

Political Storm in Cameroon, Youths as mere Observers

2013 is an election year in Cameroon with the first ever senatorial election that will crown the long awaited Upper House of the National Assembly. The storm and political fever is at its peak with the same barons who have steered the affairs of the “political winning team” for generations criss-crossing the national territory hoping to add more titles to the existing ones. Condemned by a constitutional clause, the generations of young people born thirty years ago still have another nine years to dream of a senatorial title pushing them to be mere political observers.

Politicians in Cameroon vehemently stick to the slogan “Youths are the leaders of tomorrow” giving no chance for youths to dream of occupying positions of responsibility at their younger age as it holds in other countries. Another slogan that Cameroonian politicians apply is “Politics to politicians and school to scholars”, condemning a greater percentage of young people to be mere political observers.

The recent announcement of the first ever senate election in Cameroon is driving long old politicians for another power tussle as they gun to grasp senior positions against all odds. If not because of constitutional constraints, their quests for power will be to hold positions as mayors, parliamentarians and senators at the same time. Some politicians who have waited in the cold for too long have suddenly resurfaced to join the winning team that never let go their old friendship except those who have fallen prey to the country’s anti-corruption drive “Operation Sparrow Hawk”.

Some politicians are postulating their candidature as a call from the people while others term it a call from God. According to a renowned political pundit, some old politicians want to take advantage of this tense political atmosphere in the country and escape persecution given the fact that a majority of high profile members of the “political winning team” are already victims of “Operation Sparrow Hawk”.

Another group of politicians who had the opportunity to lead but never delivered services to the satisfaction of the people are popping up with another agenda. They see a brighter future for the people with another political portfolio gearing towards “Vision 2035” when most of them will not even be present to bear any consequence.

If the “political winning team” in Cameroon could shift its winning strategies to the “Indomitable Lions” of Cameroon, the country will make the best soccer squad in the world with very unbeatable records. A series of players of the Indomitable Lions have been on stage, acted and given way to another generation of players, but with the “political winning team”, their strategy seem to be very stagnant but ever victorious when they rely on long serving players who seat tight in the team and only move from one position to another.

Young people in Cameroon have observed and still remain observers in the slippery political atmosphere that has pushed most of them full of energy and knowledge to pursue greener pastures in the Diaspora at all cost. When will youths in Cameroon be at the center of action in politics? When will youths in Cameroon have a greater say in institutions that are designated to govern and give them their rights? When will youths feel the blessings of their fatherland that has been held hostage by politicians who have become blinded by their quest for power, egoism, and partisan politics?

The action of politicians towards the younger generation has caused many young people to see success in the making but suddenly it dashes away like a candle in the win. The actions of politicians in Cameroon have killed dreams and careers of the younger generation that would have turned this lovely fatherland into a pasture of opportunities.

All is not lost for the youths who are still very energetic. Rather than stay aside as political observers in a system that seem to have no mercy for young people, innovation and creativity should be at the center of every action. Let the wasted years of waiting steer the minds of young people to take their destiny into their own hands. When young people keep looking behind, they will stay wet in tears but if they focus on changing the future, they will learn how to defeat fear and manage it. Opportunities may be few but every initiative taken has silver lining.

According to Norman Vincent Peale, “Believe that problems do have answers, that they can be overcome, and that we can solve them”.

Nfor Canicius

Cameroon-Korea Relation Late or Timely?

South Korea one of the four ‘Asian Tigers’ is pushing towards the quest for more friendly bilateral cooperation with African countries including Cameroon. Through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and other Korean organizations, the wind of economic expansion and influence is blowing across Africa embracing sectors that have long been neglected by other international donors with assistance given under very strict conditions to their beneficiaries. Is it a timely intervention for Cameroon to embrace Korea or a late move by Korea to push forward her endeavor to a more friendly relation with Cameroon?

The appellation “Asian Tigers” refers to Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan as a group of countries in Asia that since 1960 have stood shoulders high in mainstream economic growth and have equally overcome major financial and local crisis. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) classifies the “Asian Tigers” amongst the first 35 advanced economies in the world. South Korea is an indispensible hub when it comes to global manufacturing in automobile, electronic components and information technology. South Korea was recently classified as the 5^th innovative country in the world.

South Korea and Cameroon established diplomatic relations in 1960 but it was more of a galloping relationship which went dead or so silent and became vibrant again only after the re-opening of the Korean embassy in Cameroon in 2008. South Korea's style of embracing bilateral relationship with African countries seem to be ‘very selective and careful’ unlike their Chinese counterpart who keep going on very slippery and thorny paths. One good thing common about Asian countries is the “can do mentality” , and this has kept them to always aspire for innovation and progress at all cost. There are cases of accusation and counter accusation from European and American giants who accuse Asian countries of copying or stealing their automobile or communication technology. Despite all these, it has not stopped the Asians quest for rapid growth and expansion around the world.

When we take a closer look at the short period of time South Korea has re-established bilateral relations with Cameroon, one can say without any fear of contradiction that they seem to be importing their technology to Cameroon without any reservation. It may be a little late for the South Koreans who are coming after other Asian and European counterparts have been into the hinterlands exploiting and making enormous gains but much a timely intervention to Cameroon that has as its current slogan “2035 vision’’ as an emerging nation.

Korea’s late arrival in Cameroon may equally not be too late because she is coming at a time when mineral exploration is making headlines especially after Cameroon recently joined the “Kimberley Process on Diamond Certification” clearing the country from any ''blood diamond'' mines as it prevails in other African countries.

South Korea is proofing to be a friend indeed with a win-win policy. Unlike other donors or bilateral partners who impose projects to their beneficiaries, South Korea goes to the drawing board with partners to choose priority projects for their communities. The effectiveness of this policy will equally be measured on the project's interaction with the private sector.

The cities of Douala, Limbe and Sangmalima will soon benefit from Advanced Vocational Training Centres being constructed with loans from the Korean government. The Korean government is currently initiating a project for mechanized development for irrigated rice cultivation in Nkoteng Sub-Division in Upper Sanaga Division in the Centre Region. The First Cameroon-Korea Agriculture Workshop took place in Yaoundé on November, 13, 2012, and both parties agreed to share their experience and expertise in agriculture.

In 2010, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed an accord with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication in Cameroon for a project on the National Public Key Infrastructure, a secured platform for electronic transactions and an effective tool to fight against cyber crime that was recently launched in Yaoundé. KOICA is currently supervising work on the construction of a modern equipped emergency centre at the Yaoundé Centre hospital.

After years of turbulence, destruction and uncertainty, South Korea has become a leading nation transforming itself from a recipient to a donor nation among member states of the Organization of Economic Corporation and Development. (OECD) The “Korean miracle” that has culminated to spectacular growth in the past five decades from my own point of view is all about “hard work” and the will to pay back to their community that has molded them to what they have become in life. South Korea’s economy has made remarkable progress in recent years from a ‘’central planned government directed toward a more market-oriented one’’.    

 The Cameroon government has adopted the ‘’2035 vision’’ when Cameroon is expected to become an emerging economy. If numbers are anything to go by, then South Korea’s intervention in Cameroon is quite timely. Every year thousands of young and energetic youths graduate from universities with well brandished certificates ready to contribute to the needed labor force in the country but their dreams become hopeless with very few opportunities.

 Interconnecting the youth with professional base training that Korean experts are ready to share with Cameroonians especially in agriculture, information and communication technology, and the mining sector, is a great opportunity to build the prospects of the ‘’2035 vision’’. Cautious of the fact that three decades have passed with recorded successes of some achievements still debatable, the ‘’2035 vision’’ is a time line that should be watched with much enthusiasm. Time will tell if this vision is just another political slogan as has been for the past three decades.

Cameroon need to take advantage of her partners who show much interest in building bilateral relations that goes beyond round-table discussions. Lack of commitment from Cameroon will dampen its reputation and the next decades may still be without the necessary modus operandi to move the country forward to a desirable position. Cameroon occupies a strategic position in Centre Africa that business magnets around the world are anxious to pump in ready cash but this can only be achieved if authorities in power shift responsibilities to the vibrant youthful population who have waited for too long to feel a sense of belonging in their own fatherland.

Nfor Canicius