Year of the Snake will be good for China

Many famous people were born in the Year of the Snake. There's Polish astronomer and mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), a major figure in the "scientific revolution", who established that Earth revolved around the sun, not the other way around. Then there's the greatest of German literary figures, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).

But let's talk about years, not people. One of the traditions of the Year of the Snake in China is transformation. There have been plenty of bad "snake" years. One is reminded of the Great Depression and the Wall Street Crash of (October) 1929. Another year I would like to mention is 2001. It was the year when the Sept 11 terrorist attacks on the United States took place. It was also the year when China joined the World Trade Organization — which helped expedite China's economic development and integrate its economy with the global economy.

Looking back at the past year, two trends stand out for me. One is the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East. The region is seeing a genocide being committed by the Israeli state, witnessed in real time on TV screens across the world. And the US is complicit in this genocide, with its global standing going down drastically, even in parts of the West. On the other hand, apart from the West and a few US ally countries, China's standing has improved across the world, because it has stood with the ordinary people against the Israeli and American ruling elite.

The other development is the continuing rise of BRICS, along with China's rising economic status throughout the world. The year 2024 saw the addition of several major countries to BRICS, with Indonesia becoming the first country to join the grouping in the first days of 2025.

The rise of BRICS frightens the US elite, because it symbolizes the loss of their global economic dominance because of the decline of the US dollar as the principal international reserve currency. Although the decline of the dollar is an ongoing process, the year 2024 saw the acceleration of the process.

So what about 2025? I believe it will be a good year for China. Of course, we have to take into account Donald Trump's return to the White House after four years and his threat to impose high tariffs on imports from China, as well as other countries.

If Trump imposes punitive tariffs on Chinese goods, I believe he will cause more damage to the US than China. Looking at recent history, we can clearly see that the Chinese people's spirit of independence and self-reliance is very strong. They will not cave in under the pressure of punitive US tariffs.

Self-reliance is a major part of Chinese culture, which has influenced China's development. The other features include the emphasis on education and resolving problems harmoniously. Despite the bad periods in China's history, Chinese people's resilience, fighting spirit and industriousness have seen them through many a crisis. Three factors stand out in all this.

The first is the Chinese people's love for peace. Contrary to what the Western media say, I regard China as a peace-loving country. Unlike the US, which has been at war throughout its entire history, China avoids war. The century of humiliation taught it that a country is better off strong than weak. However, that does not mean it wants war.

The second factor is China's emphasis on reducing pollution and moving toward a sustainable, green economy. China's leadership of the green revolution over the last few years has been extremely impressive. The country is now the global leader in electric vehicles (EVs), and solar and wind energy. This is a remarkable achievement, and shows China is sensitive to the dangers that climate change poses to our world.

Some Western countries have recently accused China of "over-production" of EVs, which are important to build a sustainable, green world in the future. However, the Western countries have targeted China because they are afraid that they will lose their market share of vehicles to China. But their attitude is mean considering how important EVs are to sustainable living. More importantly, these countries don't mind dominating markets through "over-production" when it suits them.

The third factor is China's technological advancement. China's scientific prowess before the "scientific revolution" beginning in the 16th century was unsurpassed in the world. But after that, China failed to advance like the West. But those days are over, with China catching up with the West in terms of technology and in some ways even eclipsing the West.

In space research, China has moved ahead so fast that it became the first country to bring lunar rock samples from the far side of the moon. And despite Western attempts to hold it back, Huawei remains a global leader in innovative telecommunications.

China is a global leader also in artificial intelligence. Despite the controversy over the rapid development of AI and its implications on human society, its importance in the world is undeniable. Plus, AI will be a major determinant of the global geopolitical order.

The geostrategic balance of power in the world has changed greatly in the last half a century, in China's favor. China faces some major problems, economic and environmental, as do other countries. But the Chinese people seem to be overcoming their problems more sensibly and calmly than others. I think it is largely due to their culture of education, harmony, peace and rationality. I expect the coming Year of the Snake to see further Chinese advancement.

The author is a Sinologist and an emeritus professor at Griffith University in Australia.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.