US legal expert experienced China's opening-up

Q&A|LAURENCE BRAHM

Why did you become a fulltime cultural and ecological activist?

Back in the 1980s, Chinese society had no market economy and people were somewhat naive about money. Fast-forward to 2002, and everyone was obsessed with money. There was also a blind fascination with Western consumerism, and I felt China was losing its cultural roots. When I was restoring my traditional courtyard back in the early 2000s, I was shopping for materials in Beijing's suburbs. I saw these elaborately crafted wooden panels. Each had a traditional virtue carved into it, such as compassion, piety, etiquette. It turned out they were from an old building that was torn down. People threw these panels on the street and tried to sell them for whatever they could get. The essence of Chinese traditional values was on the panels, yet people did not realize what they represented, and this struck me. I feel like these values have to be resuscitated.

What are some of the biggest changes you have seen in China over the past five years?

Before Xi Jinping became president, the general view was China needed high growth rates and industrial development to ensure employment and social security. But such a goal was often achieved at the cost of the environment ... Now you have completely different thinking, with heavy emphasis on sustainable, quality growth as opposed to quantitative growth. Officials are promoted not based solely on GDP, but also on environmental protection, innovation, quality of life and other factors.

What do you think China will become in the next five years?

There will be a resuscitation of Chinese traditional values. A large amount of investment will go into culture and the environment, and more business opportunities will emerge from protecting culture and the ecology.

What do you expect from the Chinese leadership in the next five years?

Future government officials will certainly be held under higher scrutiny against corruption. Chinese leaders will also weigh in more on international issues. They will be more outward looking, and China will play a bigger role on the world stage.