【2009.09.28 波士顿环球】Balancing act: Why can’t the Chinese be more like us?

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Balancing act: Why can’t the Chinese be more like us?
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/09/28/balancing_act_why_cant_the_chinese_be_more_like_us/
September 28, 2009




The big thinkers behind last week’s G-20 meeting have seen the future for America - and it looks a little more like China.

And vice versa.

Rebalancing was the one-word theme of the summit President Obama hosted Thursday and Friday in Pittsburgh. To prevent another global financial crisis, the 20 nations responsible for 90 percent of the world’s economic output are seeking a new equipoise between buyers and sellers, savers and spenders. The general idea is that the United States needs to consume less, save more, and reduce its huge federal deficit, while China must do the opposite - ramp up domestic consumption, spend more on a social safety net to stimulate that consumption, and reduce its tremendous surplus.

As a remedy for what ails the global economy, rebalancing is a fine, serious idea. Americans do need to be more frugal, and Chinese consumers would be doing the world a favor if they pampered themselves a bit more. But disaster lurks if the pendulum swings too far - if the Chinese fall into our bad habits and we emulate theirs.

Think of the consequences if China’s nouveau riches begin building three-car garages for their McMansions and filling them with gas guzzlers. Imagine the youth of China dining on cheeseburgers, fries, and milkshakes instead of veggies, rice, and fish.

Conversely, what if America’s minor-league corruption gave way to China’s full-monty kickback culture? Suppose US politicians started defining their power struggles as state secrets and jailing journalists who reveal those secrets.

A little US-China rebalancing is no doubt desirable, but too much would run the risk of spawning a new world disorder.