In 2001, Beijing was selected to host the 2008 Olympic Games and China entered the World Trade Organisation. Both events represented China's coming of age and, moreover, its entry into an era of globalisation. But what does that really mean for China? In virtually every Olympic advertisement, the most repeated iconic symbol of China is its Great Wall. Has Beijing's Olympic Committee selected the right imagery?
In Lhasa, Jokhang Monastery's most senior monk, Nyma Tsering, looks out upon another great symbol, the Potala Palace, while reflecting on the Great Wall, which he sees as an example of isolationism from world realities. 'The Great Wall, for all of its architectural ingenuity, failed to keep out Mongolian-Manchurian invaders,' he said. 'Built on material foundations, it lacked spirituality, so was destined to fall. The Qing Dynasty Manchurian emperor Kang Xi used to criticise the Great Wall, saying that the Ming Dynasty had money to build such a huge structure to isolate themselves, but that isolation led to their fall.
'Actually, if they had built a spiritual bridge linking them with the surrounding, diverse ethnic groups, then a material wall would not have been necessary. Because of the Ming failure to build this spiritual bridge, the wall itself failed to keep out Manchurians and Mongolians. So, remember, just like with Israel and Palestine, a material wall is useless.'
Clearly, Nyma Tsering feels that building walls, protectionism and isolationism don't work. So, what about globalisation? Some say it is the only way forward. Others say it is causing most of the world's problems. What does Nyma Tsering think?
'As a term, 'globalisation' has come to mean one singular way of applying things - economic, financial socio-behavioural and political - in an attempt to make the world into one monolithic system,' he said. 'How can this be achieved? Our world is about diversity among cultures, climates, people, their way of life and beliefs. So how can everyone melt into one global culture, one economic and political system, one set of values?'
The terms 'globalisation' and 'anti-globalisation' are probably misnomers. Everyone can support the globalisation of technology, pharmaceuticals, social programmes and disaster relief, for example.
