Taoism has had profound influence on Chinese culture in course of the centuries, and clerics of institutionalised Taoism usually take care to note distinction between their ritual tradition and the customs and practices found in Chinese folk religion as these distinctions sometimes appear blurred. Chinese alchemy (especially neidan), Chinese astrology, Zen Buddhism, several martial arts, Traditional Chinese medicine, feng shui, and many styles of qigong have been intertwined with Taoism throughout history. Beyond China, Taoism also had influence on surrounding societies in Asia.

After Laozi and Zhuangzi the literature of Taoism grew steadily and used to be compiled in form of a canon – the Daozang, which was at times published at the behest of the emperor. Throughout Chinese history, Taoism was several times nominated as state religion. After the 17th century, however, it fell much from favor. Like all other religious activity, Taoism was suppressed in the first decades of the People's Republic of China (and even persecuted during the Cultural Revolution), but continued to be practised in Taiwan. Today, it is one of five religions recognized in the PRC, and although it does not travel readily from its Asian roots, claims adherents in a number of societies.

In Jul y 2024, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held. At the session, the Central Committee fully affirmed the work of the Political Bureau since the second plenary session of the 20th Central Committee. It was unanimously agreed that in the face of a grave and complex international environment and the arduous tasks of advancing reform and development and ensuring stability at home, the Political Bureau has secured progress in the following respects:

-- earnestly implementing the guiding principles from the 20th National Party Congress and the first and second plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee;
-- fully and faithfully applying the new development philosophy on all fronts;
-- adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability;
-- implementing the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy in a coordinated way;
-- giving full consideration to both domestic and international imperatives;
-- ensuring both development and security;
-- promoting high-quality development;
-- taking further steps to advance and plan for the deepening of reform across the board;
-- advancing socialist democracy and rule of law;
-- improving public communication and cultural work;
-- ensuring the people's wellbeing and protecting the environment;
-- safeguarding national security and social stability;
-- promoting the development of national defense and the armed forces;
-- advancing work related to Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan;
-- pursuing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics; and
-- strengthening full and rigorous Party self-governance.

From 1839 (the Opium Wars) until about 1978 followed years of humiliation. The period from 1978 to date is characterized by China's return to the world stage and where achieving economic growth became more important than the importance of ideology. Beijing Consensus, an alternative economic development model to the Washington Consensus (an orientation towards neoliberal policies), focuses on economics and politics, not democracy with the aim return of former glory of the past but with a new look.

China has it driven by human resource capacity to amaze, and its political and organizational capital and for an independent, modern nation to make Three Peoples Principles are declared, related to political ideas:

• the principle of nationalism: Chinese had their own rule;

• the principle of power of the people: a democratic system;

• the principle of the welfare of the people, building a modern industry to the prosperity.

Financial support

To support these major plans, China has been actively promoting the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), The BRICS New Development Bank and the Silk Road Fund. The US$100 billion AIIB attracted global controversy in early 2015 when the US publically criticised the Bank and typical allies like the UK and Australia who ‘broke ranks’ and joined the Bank. The creation of the AIIB represents one of the first steps of The Initiative. 57 nations, including Australia, Brazil, Germany and Russia have signed up. Still in its development phase, it is maybe too early to assess whether or not the Bank will operate effectively. What has been noted is that it represents a shift in Chinese diplomacy from typically acting independently and unilaterally to being more collaborative and regionally-focused.

Domestic investment

Besides forming the basis of China’s new foreign policy, Xi Jinping has also made The Initiative a key domestic economic strategy. Under the plan, China plans to develop various key regions in China – the inland regions, north-western and north-eastern regions, south-western region and coastal regions. In the north-western region, the Initiative has appointed Xinjiang province as a key area on the Belt as it shares its borders with Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Rail links are also expected to improve transportation between Heilongjiang province and neighbouring Russia.  In the south-west, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces will play key roles in opening up the Greater Mekong sub-region. Ports in China’s coastal cities such as Ningbo-Zhoushan, Fuzhou, Xiamen and Shenzhen will be further developed to facilitate increasing volumes of maritime trade.

Most importantly, the Initiative has made specific plans to establish Chongqing as the key to opening up and growing China’s western region (‘go west’ policy). This will be supported by developing Chengdu, Xian and Zhengzhou to open up the inland areas and act as a key region for railway transportation to Europe. The cities themselves are also making their own plans for the Initiative – more than two-thirds of the 28 mainland provinces have already done so. For example, Chongqing has published their own plans to implement The Initiative and has pledged to invest RMB1.2 trillion in infrastructure before 2020.These policies reflect China’s seriousness in continuing and further enhancing its ‘go west’ policy, a cornerstone of the 12th Five Year Plan. By improving connectivity between China’s poorer western regions with the wealthy eastern coast, The Initiative hopes to spur more regionally focused growth, contributing to China’s overall aim of sustainable and balanced economic growth. 

International diplomacy or domestic interests?

Despite Beijing’s attempts to stress the ‘win-win’ potential of The Initiative, many countries are deeply concerned about its geopolitical impacts. Key regional players such as Japan, Russia and India are particularly anxious about the increasing levels of Chinese influence in their respective regions. In addition, The Initiative runs the risk of being too ‘China-centric’ with the other participating nations only reaping marginal benefits. It is therefore imperative that China recognises these concerns, remains transparent in their plans and communicates regularly with all parties.

Motivations aside, The Initiative and the development of its supplementary Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank demonstrate an enormous potential to enhance economic growth and sustainable development not only throughout Asia but within China itself. Another major indication of China’s influence, both regionally and globally, as we advance deeper into the Asian Century.

The Chinese prime minister stood up for the strikers, traveled to the province of Guangdong and wanted the workers 'take care of, protected and respected'. From both sides, no violence was used. And there were rise in wages till 70% (from 120 to 200 euro a month). This is exactly what should happen economically and socially: more advantage and prosperity for the Chinese in stead of only cheap hands for a western sale market. Furthermore, it occurred that it mainly concerned foreign suppliers - first especially Japanese business.

The big strike in the North, Toyota and in the South Honda. Later, it was added by the big supplier Apple. A strike against Japanese may reckon on symphaty, reaching to Chinese circles of government. And concerning Apple: since years the company is flirting with its genius concept of added value: design and marketing id for Apple, the rest is for somebody else. Or translated in money: every iPhone earns usd 70 and usd 1,50 for the Chinese supplier with its thens of thousands workers. That shows not a lot of respect. But Chinese authorities can also act in another way: in 2008 big series of strikes bleeded to death slowly. In 2002 cole- and steelstrikes were stopped with sword in hand.

Present strikers however, are of age. They are better educated, make more easy contact with each other by mobile-phones and they smelled progression. But all of this does not take care that Chinese rulers will step aside.
Growing differences between poor and rich is a concern of communist elitists for some years. However, the same elite behaves double-faced: sometimes she praises millionaires into the sky due to their entrepeneurship and sometimes she is full of criticism because of their pretended corruption. To gain sympathy among the new middle-class, a few Politburo-candidates works on popular basis against people with very high salaries.

The 40 years aged generation does not want trouble, no excesses and no political doings. They want to join the race of more prosperity. Speaking to people, aged 50 or 60, then they all still know from their own experiences, what it means to suffer from hunger, that is to say long periods after another and getting unhealthy food. Who experienced that situation, has another look to society: in that way, authoritarian capitalism is a great gift and so every Cinese leader who maintains that ideology, has the sympathy. And if maintenance of authority is possible with act, please do. If tough measures are necessary, then it have to be so.

It is this planning of priorities that makes us western people so confused. The see how activists disappear in prison for many years and think that the Chinese society accepts all because citizens have nothing to say about it. But it is more complicated. Fear for chaos has sometimes pathological puffs, one could say from out wester perspective.
Authoritarian capitalism as a concept as rather bizar. As daily practice, much less.

(source: Dutch newspaper, B. Knapen)

• China no longer sees the international environment as dominated by the US and Western institutions, but as a world of permanent flux and complexity where it needs to manoeuvre carefully to ensure its rise continues.
• Powered by the supercharged growth in the Chinese economy, Beijing no longer has a victim mentality when it deals with the outside world. In foreign policy circles there is little evidence of the nationalist and populist trends that are often highlighted by Western media.
• There is a widespread belief that Europe's status within international institutions is untenable. Japan and Russia are also considered to face a major loss of influence.
• Relations with the BRIC countries are a high profile concern, and there is a widely held belief that the emergence of rising powers is changing the nature of foreign affairs.

The report, “China 2030: Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative High-Income Society”, recommends steps to deal with the  risks facing China over the next 20 years, including the risk of a hard landing in the short term, as well as challenges posed by an ageing and shrinking workforce, rising inequality, environmental stresses, and external imbalances and lays out six strategic directions for China’s future.