Reform and Opening-up Has Made the Chinese Dream of Development Reality.

Reform and opening-up has made the Chinese Dream of development reality. Callahan holds that the country has entered an era wherein any person born in China should exult in their good fortune. The Western world has slid into crisis under the impact of the September 11 attacks, the subsequent Iraq War and the financial crisis. The Chinese people, however, are optimistic in their expectations of the coming “China Century.” Thanks to the reform and opening-up policy launched by Deng Xiaoping, China has maintained high-speed economic development over the past three decades, during which 300 million people have risen from extreme poverty. It is now the second largest economy in the world. Since 2010, China has laid claim to the world’s fastest computer and the most brilliant students. The country has also entered an era of space exploration. All of these achievements show that China has developed into a muscular global power that is seeking its new position in the world arena.

After celebrating this remarkable economic success, many Chinese policy-makers and opinion leaders are now asking, “What comes next?” How can China convert its growing economic power into political and cultural influence in Asia, or even around the globe?