China's growing influence in international groupings such as the G20 summit that finished yesterday in Seoul is further evidence of the nation's arrival as an important power on the world stage. In the space of three decades, a once closed and isolated country has gained a voice on a range of global issues, including security, trade, finance, health and the environment. While China has much in common with most other countries, sometimes it has different views on important challenges that involve global co-operation and understanding. One recent example stands out. China has taken a sharply different position to many advanced economies on how the world should cut carbon emissions, assuming any such agreement can be struck. With hundreds of millions of people still living in poverty, the nation has no choice but to expand the generation of electricity if it wants to improve living standards. That means coal consumption and therefore carbon emissions will continue to rise.
What China would like to see is the economic pain of emissions cuts borne by advanced economies which have already achieved high living standards for the majority of their people. And, like many other long established nations, China is anxious to promote understanding of its history, culture and language in the belief that this will expand the nation's influence and enrich the world. For these reasons, reports that Chinese media outlets have been allocated 10 billion yuan (HK$11.63 billion) each with the express purpose of breaking 'the monopoly and verbal hegemony of the West' should be welcomed.
These new media outlets should help contribute to a more thorough and informed debate over global issues. The extra financial resources appear to have been earmarked expressly for the production of more programmes in languages other than Chinese in more foreign countries. Coming at a time when many media outlets in the developed world are slashing their budgets, it seems like an opportune time to provide alternative voices. The new Xinhua broadcaster, China Xinhua News Network Corporation (CNC) is aiming to achieve global influence by airing its programmes in 100 countries.
CCTV, meanwhile, hopes to have 50 offices open within two years, up from 19 last year, and plans to offer 11 channels in seven languages. People's Daily is also reported to have received additional funding to expand abroad.
Advocates of the Chinese media expansion praise a future media landscape with a greater 'Chinese point of view'. Of course, the obvious drawback to this plan is that the dominant players in the state-controlled media landscape are not free to reflect a range of views that would truly illuminate the interests of a diverse and complex nation. Broadcasting the one-dimensional propaganda that serves as a staple at home is highly unlikely to sway an international audience.
Having been introspective for much of its history, it is a welcome and significant development that China now wishes to join the global debate. However, it would be far better if China could unshackle its domestic media and encourage it to operate with similar freedom abroad. This would make China's voice more credible and persuasive, just as the widely respected and independent BBC is a far better ambassador for Britain than it would be as a government mouthpiece. In news and views, a free market would serve the nation better, just as it has in the economy.
