Public Diplomacy–A Fresh Experience

I visited Belgium and France from June 23 to 27 last summer with a delegation from the China Entrepreneur Club （CEC）. My third overseas trip with a CEC delegation， this brief visit on a tight schedule nonetheless left me with deep impressions.

The World Pays More Attention to China

Despite China’s growing global interactions， I found that people generally know less than would be expected about China， and less still about the country’s private businesses.

Three CEC delegations have traveled overseas in the past three years， each meeting with a broader array of highranking government officials than the last. The 2011 delegation to the U.S. met with Secretary of Commerce John Bryson. In 2012， Prime Minister David Cameron received the delegation to the UK at a courtesy meeting. It then met with the secretary of state for Trade and Industry. In June this year， however， the delegation’s receptions outstripped the previous two， having attended meetings in Brussels with both the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo. Upon arrival in France， the delegation met and spoke with President Fran？ois Hollande and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Laurent Fabius. This was probably the first time that a president of the EU Commission， president and foreign minister of France and president of Belgium met with a delegation of private entrepreneurs.

Private companies are a main result of China’s reform and opening-up drive. They did not exist in the country some 30 years ago， but now account for 60 percent of China’s economy and create 80 percent of employment. Vigorous， dynamic and innovative， these concerns constitute a main force of China’s economy.

The courtesies that European leaders paid to the CEC delegations were by design rather than by default. China is rising and has entered the global spotlight. The high-profile reception of CEC delegations in Europe reflects the country’s rising status.

Public Diplomacy： An Indispensable Force

The CEC delegation’s visit to Belgium and France took place at a time of both friendship and hardship for the EU and China. This is apparent on the one hand in the significant progress of EU-China relations and expanding cooperation， and on the other in major differences and frictions with respect to economy and trade.

The dispute over the EU’s antidumping duties on imports of Chinese photovoltaic products is the main source of recent trade friction. Chinese entrepreneurs did not mince words at their meeting with President Borroso and senior officials of the European Commission. They emphasized that most of China’s photovoltaic producers are privately owned， and that imposition of anti-dumping duties would result in bankruptcy and unemployment in China.

President Borroso and EU officials responded by saying that the EU also opposes trade protectionism and trade wars because they result in losses on both sides. The EU and China are now dealing with the issue through dialogues， and have achieved a mutually acceptable compromise settlement.

Mr. Huang Nubo shared what he had experienced in Iceland， where he had intended to make an investment but was stalled. His land lease plan rattled the whole country. “I am a businessman. I went to Iceland to make an investment that would open up new prospects for my company and also benefit Iceland’s economy and create jobs. But certain people appeared to have misgivings and politicized what was a commercial issue， which I find perplexing，” Huang said.

There does indeed exist in Europe widespread worry， anxiety – even fear –about China. The delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs took every opportunity to interact with European politicians，businessmen and the media in efforts to dispel widely held misconceptions. They explained that China seeks opportunities for win-win cooperation in Europe， as it is only through mutual benefits that EU-China cooperation can survive and thrive. Chairman of the Fosun Group Mr. Guo Guangchang gave the example of the group’s participation in Club Med and the favorable results it produced for both parties. This case in point was convincing， and prompted positive comments from President Hollande during his meeting with the CEC delegation. The French president raised the Fosun-Club Med cooperation in his speech at the Fourth International Capital Conference， and expressed hope that France and China would continue to cooperate on similar programs.

It was during our meeting with President Hollande that I spoke of the inexplicable misgivings about China apparent in Europe that block vision and hence chances for bilateral cooperation， and of the need for the EU and China to work together to overcome it. During my interview with a reporter from the Europe-1 TV channel I stressed that there was nothing to fear from China， and that over the past 30 years China has experienced incredible development， driven by the reform and opening-up policy. It seeks cooperation with other countries and shares its economic gains with the world. The reporter saw the logic of my argument.

French culture is popular in China， and many Chinese people would love to visit France. Unfortunately， Chinese tourists are becoming obvious targets for attacks and robberies in the country， a problem that inhibits Chinese people from travelling there. I was straightforward with President Hollande on this issue， saying： “I myself was attacked during my time as ambassador to France. I left France 10 years ago， and the security problem is even worse now. Some members of our delegation， their friends and relatives， have also experienced such violent confrontations. We have broad potential for tourism cooperation. As China’s economy grows， the number of outbound tourists is increasing. Last year alone 83 million Chinese people travelled overseas， a figure that is soon expected to soar beyond 100 million. Many want to visit France.”

President Hollande said that he attaches great importance to the safety of Chinese tourists in France， and that he had asked relevant departments to take all necessary measures to ensure their protection. The Louvre has always employed security personnel， and now police also patrol the area. Instances of assaults on tourists have since considerably declined.

Ample Opportunity for EU-China Economy and Trade Cooperation

Today， Europe remains the epicenter of the global financial crisis， and France’s economy is once more mired in recession. Although the difficulties that challenge Europe’s economy cannot be ignored， they do not preclude opportunities for cooperation between the EU and China. There are in fact plenty of chances out there. As the cradle of the Industrial Revolution， Europe has a solid industrial foundation and strong innovation capabilities. It is not only home to famous multinationals， but also fosters an array of medium-sized and small businesses specializing in cutting-edge technology. The economies of Europe and China share complementary interests. Europe’s food industry is advanced， the continent being the home of many world-famous food brands， and it has a good reputation for food safety. European medical equipment producers and pharmaceutical industries are also world class. Europe’s advantages in these respects correspond to China’s needs. China can in return provide capital and a market for Europe， which is still troubled by the financial crisis， and whose struggling businesses are in urgent need of fiscal input.

CEC delegation members did their homework before the visit. Head of the delegation Mr. Liu Chuanzhi repeatedly emphasized that EU-China cooperation must be carried out on a complementary basis – the fundamental principle in this regard. Delegation members spotted several potential opportunities for cooperation in the course of their visit.

EU-China cooperation in the financial sector is a promising new area awaiting exploration. When the Eurozone was in difficulty， China backed the Euro， so gaining appreciation from the EU. President Hollande told the delegation that Paris was willing to become a main venue for promoting the internationalization of the RMB. China’s backing of the Euro and Europe’s support for the RMB’s internationalization are mutually beneficial， and comply with the global multipolar trend.

China’s rise will inevitably engender worry， anxiety and even fear. To eliminate these negative feelings it is essential to expand China’s global cooperation. Public diplomacy can play a huge part in this respect. We need to present the real China to the world， and introduce its many facets. My three visits as part of CEC delegations have made me realize that private entrepreneurs are an indispensable force in promoting China’s public diplomacy. When they talk， they do not beat around the bush. They present the hard facts and are willing to express their feelings and share their experiences. For Westerners， such candidness adds credibility and provides better understanding of the real China.

It is worth mentioning that local media featured no negative coverage of the delegation’s visit to Belgium and France， which not so long ago would have been considered unusual.

In conclusion， overseas visits by influential private entrepreneurs can bring multiple benefits. Through their interaction with the world， they present to people in other countries the real China， so enhancing understanding and breaking new ground for Chinese businesses. This is truly beneficial to the country， to the people， and to the world as a whole.