诸暨浣江中学校长:Is China unfairly looked on by Western eyes?

Is China unfairly looked on by Western eyes?

The Chinese ambassador to Belgium wants young Chinese to promote the nation‘speaceful role in the world.

Zhang Qiyue said this during a meeting with Chinese overseas students inBrussels to celebrate Chinese Youth Day on May 4.

Zhang, a former spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said China isfacing new attacks of unfair charges after the "China threat" theory of thecountry‘s alleged military build-up. She gave an example that some westerncountries accuse China of being irresponsible in tackling global warming. Andwhen China reduced carbon production and exports to reduce carbon dioxideemissions, the country was still criticized as creating chaos on the worldenergy market.

In her interview with China Youth Daily, Zhang said that in the eyes ofsome westerners, "China never does the right thing", adding that theinternational opinion was unfavorable to China‘s development. One reason for this, sheexplained, is the western politicians‘ deliberate smear of China in an attemptto restrain the emerging power and maintain the existing world order.

She explained many Westerners believe in the "China threat" theory because oftheir rooted prejudice and misunderstanding of China and its people.

The way foreign countries deal with Chinese people is part of this bias,continued the ambassador. Travelers from China are required to undergoparticular checks at airports in Belgium and many other European countries. Shecomplained that Belgians, though they are well-educated, have manymisunderstandings towards China.

These perceptions include when the horrific killings took place at VirginiaTech over two weeks ago, some media in the United States immediately thought thekiller maybe of Chinese origin; and when Belgian authorities were concernedabout stolen research and development secrets, local media claimed it was thework of a "Chinese students spy web" which was later proved groundless.

In the face of surging economic growth, Zhang says the Chinese government hasbeen doing much strengthening its "soft power", by establishing overseasConfucius Institutes, promoting the ancient culture and advocating a harmonioussociety. And so she believes it‘s up to every Chinese living outside the countryto provide a better knowledge of China among foreigners.

"Everyone of them is a spokesperson." Zhang said.