OCTOBER 1 this year, to the rest of the world, may have been the start of autumn but to the Chinese, it is spring.
The two-and-a-half hour National Day parade in the morning seemed to have hinged on the theme of flowers, the symbol of spring.
Children in gaudy costumes twirled bouquets of flowers, a giant moving plum blossom was a float and singers at its evening extravanganza sang of a “new spring” as performers dressed in shades of green and pink, grouped themselves into patterns of flowers.
However, to the Chinese mind (particularly, the ruling politburo), the spring theme is more than just about weather. The Communist Party is announcing to the world that spring is here again in China.
Vibrant colours: Child performers waiting at Tiananmen Square ahead of the parade to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic. After a period of humiliation by colonial powers at the end of the Qing Dynasty, another 30 years of staggering between mass starvation and the excesses of Cultural Revolution after the founding of the republic and another 30 spent in breakneck development, China must feel that it has finally found its footing.
At a time when the world, gripped in an economic crisis, has to look to Beijing for a direction out of the doldrums, it is hardly surprising that China is allowing itself a little hope and pride, and hence, spring.
Like the budding of flowers and new leaves in spring, China is “rejuvenated.”
The theme of rejuvenation was carried in Chinese president Hu Jintao’s speech during the parade.
Hu said that his party was “confident in realising the rejuvenation”.
“All the ethnic groups must unite as one and march onwards to realise the goal of great rejuvenation,” he said.
Besides the “flowers” at the parade, the signs of rejuvenation are everywhere.
Beijing is bedecked with red lanterns and “love knot” motifs.
In Guangzhou, where the world’s factories are located, the municipal council has been busy trying to promote the “building-up of a civilised China” in preparation for the Asian Games next year.
Such decorations would have been unheard of during the Cultural Revolution in the 1970s, when these were decried as feudal and backward.
Qian Xiaoqian, who is Vice Minister for the state council information office admitted that China “had made a leftist mistake in cultural revolution.”
“We stressed too much on class struggle, which made us violate basic rules of development, and the direct result of it was that by the end of our first 30 years, we were on the brink of collapse,” he said during an interview with foreign journalists.
And although websites such as Facebook and YouTube remain largely inaccessible to large sections of the population, what the netizens are currently enjoying now was probably unthinkable two decades ago.
However, just as spring brings hope, it can also sweep one up in an exuberance that makes one forget about the coming winter.
Thus, it is also important for China, which is now feeling proud – and they well deserve it, too – for its past achievements, to reflect on its past actions.
Since its opening up and reform, China has brought untold wealth to its people as well as the rest of the world, particularly in Africa, where it has channelled huge investments into certain natural resources sectors.
But its visible presence in Africa has certainly not gone down well with many locals. One African reporter was overhead saying that “the Chinese is everywhere in my country, and they control our economy totally.”
These remarks may just be resentment but there are even complaints from foreigners, who have invested into establishing businesses in provinces like Guangzhou only to see these being undermined by intellectual property theft or intense competition.
Such unsurly business practices make it difficult for Chinese companies to achieve global status as well.
And in cities like Guangzhou, where its residents are probably more concerned about producing goods and profits, the effects of environmental degradation are clearly seen.
Although China has travelled through so much and so rapidly these 30 years, there is still a long journey ahead and the Chinese people are a resilient, creative lot, capable of withstanding such suffering and travails.
The government must have more faith in the spirit of the people because it will be on their shoulders that their country, and civilisation, will ride on.
Despite this, the government is as notorious for the tight control it has over its people - even after the opening and reform - as for its handling of Internet freedom.
It is only with this faith in its people - and reflection on the part of the Chinese government - that will determine if the spring in China is a short break or a longer warm season.
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