Chinnovation

Martin Jacques’ new book, “When China Rules the World: The End of the
Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order”, is causing
controversy. Is it possible that China will “rule the world” in the near
future? Perhaps, but only if it’s able to successfully transform from an
industrial-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, and then transform
even further to an innovation-based economy.China is off to a good start. It now has the largest higher education
system in the world. Five of its universities are in the world’s top 100.
University enrollment has more than tripled since 2000. More university
degrees are awarded in China than in the U.S. and India combined. Over the
past decade, annual awards of doctoral degrees in China have risen
sevenfold. China recently surpassed the U.K. to become the world’s
second-largest producer of academic research papers—and is on course to
surpass the U.S. by 2020.

While the stereotype holds that Asians are not innovative, China has a
rich history of innovation. The compass, gunpowder, papermaking, and
printing were all invented by the Chinese.

“The Art of War”, widely accepted as a masterpiece on military strategy,
was written by Chinese general Sun Tzu around 500 BC. Sun Tzu’s creative
strategies have influenced many notable figures, including the first
emperor of a unified China Qin Shihuang, Japanese samurai Oda Nobunaga,
French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, U.S. general Douglas MacArthur, Chinese
Communist leader Mao Zedong, and Vietnamese Communist leader Ho Chi Minh.
In addition to its popularity among military theorists and political
leaders, “The Art of War” has also been embraced by business managers.

More than 60 years before Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus landed in
North America in 1492, Chinese admiral Zheng He had already completed
seven great voyages, sailing into the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and
the Persian Gulf. This was made possible by cutting-edge technology used
by the Chinese to build Zheng’s junks, which were four times larger than
Christopher Columbus’ largest ship.

Dissatisfied with traditional martial arts styles, Chinese actor Bruce Lee
created his own: Jeet Kune Do. It combines the best techniques from Wing
Chun Kung Fu, American boxing, French fencing, and grabbling to create a
highly efficient and practical style. Lee is considered the most
influential martial artist of the 20th century.

Not content to serve as factory to the world, the Chinese government has
been making enormous investments in its universities and stressing
scientific and technological innovation. If China—with 20 percent of the
world’s population and a rich history of innovation—is able to usher in a
renaissance of innovation, then it could possibly “rule the world” sooner
than you think.

Bill Costello, M.Ed., is a U.S.-based education columnist, blogger, and
author of Awaken Your Birdbrain: Using Creativity to Get What You Want. He
can be reached at www.makingmindsmatter.com.