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The People's Republic of China is attracting unprecedented interest due to the country's economic boom and the impending Beijing Olympics. Allan Radcliffe talks to a pair of writers who are responding to the impact of the new Chinese revolution on the rest of the world
16 THE LIST 28 Feb-13 Mar 2008
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hat tlo Westerners reall} knou about the People's Republic ol (‘hinal’ Our understanding ol' the \xorltl‘x
biggest nation is chiel‘l} drawn l'rom iiL‘\\\ reports about the countr} \ booming econom).
her patch} human rights record and controx‘ersial inter\ention in global l'Iashpointx such as [)arl‘ur and Zimbabue. In recent necks. (‘hina has onl_\ appeared on the Western llC\\\ ratlar l'ollouing conxcience- stricken filmmaker Ste\en Spielberg‘s resignation as artistic director oi the Beijing Olympics. and Iiiilllkx to a \peecb b} l‘K foreign secretar} l)a\icl Milibancl. urging further democratic rel'orm.
Western obseners are \aguel} a\\ are that the people-rich. nuclear state is poised on the verge ot~ becoming a superpou er to rital the
l'llllc‘ti SiillL‘N \t‘l. \\ill|t‘ tile \VLNIt‘t‘ll [H'L‘w l\ currentb tracking ext-r} l\\l\l and turn ol the American presidential race. leu ol ll\ coultl e\en name the general \eci'etar) ol the (‘ommunist l’art} ol (‘hina. llu .lintao. \xho presides o\ er a population l'our times the \i/e ol the l‘S.-\. \Vhile \\e are auare that man} ol the clothes \\ e \xear are inanulacturetl chcapl} in (him. hotx man} ol us could name a single ('hinexe compmer. poet or no\elist'.’
Mark Leonard. \xritcr. broadcaster and e\ecuti\e director ol the lauropean ('ouncil on l-oreign Relations. argues in his latest book. H'lml /)m'\ (iii/iii l/Ii’ii/t.’. that the nut major e\port lrom the People’s Republic \till he ideas. '.-\\ (’hina'x econom} groux. so her