Op-Ed Contributors

EU exchange creates knowledge gap

By Duncan Freeman (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-13 07:59

The EU has a huge and growing cultural surplus with China, but as in the case of trade imbalances, this brings with it a downside. The cost for Europe of its cultural surplus is a large knowledge deficit. In the process of cultural exchange China will learn from Europe, and also about Europe.

But the opposite is not happening to the same degree. While a reasonably educated Chinese is exposed broadly to European cultures, and probably in depth in his or her area of specialty, even the most educated European will have almost no direct exposure to Chinese culture or knowledge of China.

If Europe is to respond adequately to the rise of China, then it will have to accept greater equilibrium in cultural exchange. While many Chinese are eager to learn from and about Europe, the reverse is not generally the case.

Indeed, very few Europeans would believe they have anything to learn from China. Of course not all Europeans can or should learn Chinese, read Chinese books or study in China. But Europe will have to make a greater effort to redress the current imbalance. Even if Europe does not wish to learn from China, there is a need to learn about China.

The author is a senior researcher at Brussels Institute Contemporary China Studies.

(China Daily 07/13/2010 page9)