Exclusive interview with John Milligan-Whyte: "China has a promising future, especially in its economy."
【专访】美中合作基金会执行主席米勒·怀特：中国将拥有美好的前景，尤其是在经济领域
如何理解中国？如何看待广东在全球贸易中的作用？12月1日至3日，“读懂中国2023”大会在广州举行，汇聚了全球政治家和专家。我们借此机会访问了美中合作基金会执行主席米勒·怀特，听取了他对中国的看法。
When it comes to the understanding of China and the view on Guangdong's role in global trade, we interviewed John Milligan-Whyte, Chairman of the America-China Partnership Foundation, about his opinions on China at the 2023 Understanding China Conference in Guangzhou, where politicians and experts from around the world gathered together from December 1st to 3rd.At this conference.
羊城晚报：我们都知道您是中国的老朋友，您对中国经济也很熟悉。在过去的十年里，您看到中国发生了哪些变化？
Yangcheng Evening News: We all know that you are an old friend of China, and you are very familiar with China's economy. So, have you seen any changes in China in the past ten years?
米勒·怀特：中国展示了中国特色社会主义如何通过创造人类历史和科学上规模最大的发展，来对世界产生巨大影响，这给我留下了非常深刻的印象。
John Milligan-Whyte: Well. I'm extremely impressed that China has shown how it achieved the biggest development in human history and science on the path of Socialism with Chinese characteristics that impact the world.
中国做了一件世界上没有国家做过的事情，（中国）大约占18%的世界人口，从1978年到2021年实现了GDP增长到18万亿美元的增长。在此过程中，8亿人摆脱了贫困，4亿人进入了中产阶级。也就是说世界上最大的发展中国家，只用一代人的时间，就创造了世界上第二大的经济体。
China has made another achievement that no one in the world has ever done before: with about 18% of the human population, China's GDP went to $18 trillion from 1978 to 2021. In this process, 800 million people were lifted out of poverty, with 400 million people becoming the middle class. So, the largest developing country in the world becomes the world's second-largest economy with just one generation.
考虑到中国的人口是美国人口的四倍，所以我认为中国的经济规模将是美国的三到四倍。中国所取得的成果，在过去绝对没有人认为是可能实现的。以前，人们认为只有成为资本主义国家才能实现经济发展，这让发达国家和发展中国家都感到相当惊讶。
And given that China's population is four times the population of the United States, I think China's economy is going to be three or four times larger than the American economy. What China has achieved was considered impossible in the past. It was previously thought that only a capitalist country could achieve such economic development. China's achievement astonished both the developed and the developing countries.
中国即将成为世界上最发达的强大经济体，只用了一代人的时间，而它的发展才刚刚到达第四个阶段。中国的这种改变为全世界200多个国家提供了一种全新的视角。对于发展中国家来说，它提供了一种发展模式，即你不必被发达国家所操纵。你可以应用这一社会模式，而这个模式非常行之有效。
With just one generation, China is on its way to becoming the biggest economy in the world. And it only reached the fourth stage of its development. Such achievements provide a new point of view for over 200 nations in the world. For the developing nations, China presents a social model of development that works profoundly well without being manipulated by the developed countries.
羊城晚报：我们从一些采访中看到您提到，中国的现代化和资本主义国家的现代化有很大的不同。我们这有什么特别之处吗？在国际视野中，中国的现代化的特点是什么？
Yangcheng Evening News: In some interviews, we learned that you mentioned that there is a huge difference between China's modernization and the capitalist one. What makes China's modernization special? What are the characteristics of China's modernization for the international community?
米勒·怀特：比如说，美国和中国的根本区别在于，美国资本主义控制着政治和公共政策。结果就是，1%的富人变得非常富有，中产阶级正在萎缩，穷人变得非常生气，因此它造成了政治上的不稳定性。在中国，社会主义控制着资本主义、政治和公共政策，这就是中国能够只用一代人的时间就取得如此巨大的经济和社会发展的关键。
John Milligan-Whyte: The fundamental difference, for example, between America and China is that, in America, capitalism controls politics and public policy.As a result, only 1% of the population is very rich, while the middle class is shrinking, and the poor are very angry, which produces political instability. However, in China, socialism takes over capitalism, politics and public policy, and that's the key to China's achievements of such tremendous economic and social development in one generation.
羊城晚报：国际社会高度关注中国的发展，您如何看待快速崛起的中国与世界的关系？
Yangcheng Evening News: The international community is keeping a close eye on China's development. And how do you see the relationship between a fast-rising China and the world?
米勒·怀特：对于发展中国家来说，中国的崛起意味着巨大的机遇；而对于发达国家来说，他们既惊讶又害怕。这是因为他们原本认为，你必须复制它们，结果这并非唯一通往发展的路径，所以发展中国家被中国提供的合作选项所打动，比如“一带一路”、亚洲基础设施投资银行、亚洲开发银行等。
John Milligan-Whyte: For the developing countries, China's emergence is a huge opportunity, while for the developed countries, China's achievements make them astonished and terrified. The reason is that in the past, they thought you must follow their path to develop. However, China shows that its system isn't the only choice. So, the developing countries find the opportunities provided by China appealing, like the Belt and Road Initiative, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and Asian Development Bank.
羊城晚报：您认为中国的进步会给其他国家带来机遇吗？
Yangcheng Evening News: Do you think China's progress will bring opportunities to other countries?
米勒·怀特：因为中国了解发展中国家，并且也证明了，当中国的发展带动其他发展中国家成功了，中国才能进一步发展。中国本质上是一个崇尚和平的国度。
John Milligan-Whyte: China understands developing countries. And it recognizes that it can only develop further by driving the other developing countries. China is essentially a peaceful nation.
我认为中国政府是一个比有些西方国家更聪明、更有效的政府，这造就了一个不与任何人交战的国家，而是对世界上其他地方进行投资，这是一种全新的发展模式，我愿称之为中国特色社会主义模式。
I think the Chinese government is smarter and more effective than some of the Western countries. The socialism model with Chinese characteristics, from my perspective, produces a country that isn't at war with any other countries and invests in the rest of the world. It's a whole new model of development.
羊城晚报：您如何评价中国的未来，特别是在经济方面？
Yangcheng Evening News: What do you think of China's future, especially in its economy?
米勒·怀特：那绝对是棒得很！如果你留意一下西方经济学家和其他人说的话，（就会发现）他们犯了一个错误，认为唯一能够成功的经济类型是资本主义控制着政治和公共政策，但这并不总是很有效。所以中国基本上成为了示范性的国家，这就像一个全新的世界，一种完全不同的模式，更少的剥削，更有利于各方。这就是我作为外国人如何看待中国的。
John Milligan-Whyte: Great, absolutely great! If you pay attention to what Western economists say, you will know that they made a mistake. They consider that only a capitalist economy controlling politics and public policy can succeed. But it doesn't always work. So, China is basically a proof of their mistake. China is like a new world with a completely different model and less exploitation, which brings mutual benefits for both China and the world. So that's how I, as a foreigner, view China.
