China's growth contributes to global economy
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-09-02 11:58

Another LSE expert argues that one should never set a frameworkor limits on the world's economic development structure.

Christopher R. Hughes, from LSE's International Relations department, said Thursday that free trade means fair competition, in which all participants are equal and one should never hope thatthe defending champion should always get the trophy.

Hughes said China is really making the Western countries richer. Consumers certainly feel richer, he explains, "because we see falling prices for clothes and consumer electronics in the shops."

"Quotas are not the answer, that is clear. However, in what ways can the EU states restructure their social model to compete with China?" asked the expert.

In his opinion, talk of China as a "threat" goes back over a hundred years and the rhetoric has been growing stronger since theend of the Cold War.

However, it has probably lessened since the 1990s, and people have started talking more about the practical problems of working with China, the expert said. There is a line where practical issues and ideological issues overlap, he added.

"I think that if all sides view this in terms of practical problems that have to be solved in the interests of both the West and China, rather than in ideological terms, then there should be less talk of a China threat," Hughes said.

He also believed that Chinese workers should be allowed to enjoy the same rights as their Western counterparts, saying he was delighted to see his Chinese friends and colleagues enjoy a better standard of living and more opportunities than in the past.