The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)?publicized the
China Modernization Report 2004 in Beijing recently, according to
Science Times. The report points out that China is still
in its first modernization development period and belongs to a
preliminary developed country.
Chinese scholars proposed the concept of "first modernization
and second modernization" in the 1990s. The concept divides the
course of modernization since the 18th century into two stages:
First modernization is characterized by a developing industrial
economy; and second modernization by a developing intellectual
economy.
The recently published China Modernization Report 2004 makes its
conclusions based on the current conditions of China's first and
second modernization. In 2001, the degrees of implementation of
China's first and second modernization rank respectively 62nd and
59th among 108 countries that took part in the ranking. The degree
of implementation of China's first modernization rose one
percentage point in 2002 to reach 79 percent , compared with
2001.
The report also analyzes the degree of modernization
implementation in regions across China. According to the report,
Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and Taiwan
Province have accomplished their first modernization period. Hong
Kong and Macao have entered into the period of second
modernization.
The report points out that Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai
municipalities have reached the criteria of first modernization in
nine aspects. Liaoning Province qualified in seven aspects.
Jiangsu, Guangdong and Heilongjiang provinces qualified in six
aspects.
Excluding Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan,
regions ranked in the top 10 with respect to the implementation
degree of first modernization in 2002 are Zhejiang, Liaoning,
Jiangsu, Heilongjiang, Guangdong, Hubei, Jilin, Shaanxi, Chongqing
and Fujian. The first modernization level in these regions is
higher than the national average.
The report shows that in 2001, 24 of 131 countries that took
part in the appraisal entered second modernization, accounting for
18 percent of the total number of sample countries. The top 10
countries are the United States, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark,
Switzerland, Australia, Japan, Germany and Netherlands. There are
27 countries that have fully realized first modernization and 38
countries that have basically realized first modernization. These
countries account for 50 percent of the sample countries.
It is reported that all developed countries have entered second
modernization. The medium developed countries have partly entered
second modernization, some realizing, or basically realizing, first
modernization. Some countries have made progress in the first
modernization period, while others stay traditional, agricultural
societies. Some ethnic groups still live in what is referred to as
a primitive society.
(China.org.cn by Wang Qian and Daragh Moller, February 4,
2004)
