Chinese President Xi Jinping, dressed in the Chairman Mao’s uniform, took guard of honour from the largest ever military parade in the history of People’s Republic of China (PRC). It was the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two (WW II) where Japan had to surrender.
Out of the three major revolutions of the 20th century (Bolshevik 1917, Chinese 1949, Iranian 1979) only the Chinese revolution has borne fruit while the Iranians continue to struggle.
The Soviet Union no longer exists; Russia has taken its place. Continuity prevails in PRC. President Xi has shown the world that Mao’s legacy continues to guide the nation, from one Comrade to another. Like his leader he too desires to be on the right side of history. Pakistan and China claim to be ‘ Iron Brothers ‘ but in name only.
It was the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (IRP) that brought PRC out of isolation to connect with the West. The visit of President Richard Nixon was facilitated by IRP which then led to the establishment of diplomatic relations with the USA. It did not end here; commercial discipline was totally missing in the Socialist set-up, a lot of hand-holding was done to overcome this weakness. While the Chinese build institutions for common good, we allowed the vested groups to take over.
While the Communist Party of China (CPC) has made sure that no one is left behind, the situation remains bleak for the common man in the land of the pure. From State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to Public-Private Partnership Model, PRC has developed solid foundations of development. Recently, the Government of Sindh has successfully launched a venture called SECMC (Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company).
Majority shares are held by the Sindh Government (51%) while the management is with ENGRO (49%). The company provides coal to the power generation units installed at Thar. Recently, an agreement has been signed to expand the mine for additional coal needed for gasification by FFC which will then be used to produce the much-needed Urea Fertilizer. It is a win-win situation for all.
PRC has succeeded in developing a market economy where capital does not dominate, where people are to be served not exploited. It was Chairman Mao who led the people’s movement to power. President Xi has followed the same course. People come first; profits are to be shared not usurped by the few.
In the decade of the eighties the West tried to de-stabilise the Communist world. President Ronald Reagan called it the ‘ Evil Empire ‘. The Soviet Union fell into the trap PRC did not. There was a showdown in the Tiananmen Square in Beijing where Chairman Mao lies in state in a vacuum chamber across from the Forbidden City. The Communist Party solidly stood by the regime.
Protests were dealt with an iron hand and PRC kept its course to development. In the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev could not control the reform movement, which resulted in the dissolution of the mighty Soviet Union in the year 1991. I had the chance of meeting the Ambassador of Russia a few years back. I asked him two questions.
Firstly, if they were willing to restore the Pakistan Steel Mill that they had set-up in the decade of the seventies, the answer was in the affirmative. Then I asked him about the economic order in his country. He told me that they were moving towards capitalism. Their journey continues while PRC marches ahead in leaps and bounds with its approach to capture the world markets for the well-being of its people.
The Belt Road Initiative (BRI) is a master stroke for global connectivity. CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) can be a game-changer for both countries if sanity prevails at our end.
Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) continues to find its course to global domination. Religion dominates IRI with the Ayatullohs in control.
The liberals like President Banisadr were forced to leave. It is a model of controlled democracy; all candidates have to pass a character test before entering the electoral race. Imam Ruhollah Khomeini wanted to re-unite the Ummah. His revolution has survived but needs to gain momentum for a unified Islamic bloc to emerge.
The current leadership in IRI can learn from the Chinese experience in guiding their nation towards growth and development. Like China, human development has taken place in Iran, the nation is ready for takeoff through connectivity with the world, but the necessary frameworks are not there.
China relied heavily on its expatriate population to introduce entrepreneurship, which is an important component of growth. Iran can benefit from the successful businessman of Iranian origin living in California.
Under the leadership of Comrade Xi PRC is now the second largest economy of the world after the USA. The entire nation is reaping the benefits of this growth.
The Chinese think tanks formulate policies, which are then forwarded to the party leadership for vetting. After review of the politburo the cabinet takes over for implementation. There is a continuous and vibrant system of change with focus on building the nation, not a few selected groups as is the case in capitalist set-ups. Comrades seek common good not individual wealth. They are driven by service to the masses not individual greed. Francis Mitterrand the Socialist President of France once said, “I feel more and plan less”.
Another interesting French economist came up with an interesting doctrine, “Suppression of the right to exploit is not suppression of individual freedom”.
The Comrades leading PRC have succeeded in creating this fine balance between growth and human exploitation. Wealth of the nation continues to grow with equitable sharing. Common good prevails. Chairman Mao, the man of the 20th century, lies in state in the heart of Beijing while PRC marches towards glory and world domination.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The writer is an ex-Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation; email: fmaliks@hotmail.com