Introductory remarks by Jozias van Aartsen. Oratie Prof. dr Peter Ho Leiden, 27 January 2012

Introductory remarks by Jozias van Aartsen. Oratie Prof. dr Peter Ho Leiden, 27 January 2012

It is perhaps good to explain first why the Mayor of the Hague, our city of peace and justiey – was invited to speak at this august meeting.

It is not, as some of you may think, as a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, although at that time – as now – Dutch-Chinese relations where an important issue.

We must go back a little further. Some 17 years ago when I visited China for the first time as minister of agriculture, I followed the convention of the time and spoke English at all occasion. Afterwards I wondered why. Almost none of our Chinese counterparts spoke or understood english. And often the interpreters would struggle with the agricultural jargon. Frequently there seemed to be confusion about numbers and figures, of which the Chinese officials at the time seemed so fond.

So a search went on for a Dutch-Chinese interpreter whith adequate knowledge of agricultural subjects. We found him – of course – in Wageningen and his name was Peter Ho.

He proved to be more than up to the task. Not in the least because he – with great cunning – arranged that at the frequent dinners my glass for the habitual toasts was always filled with water instead of the dangerous mautai.

The focus of today is Asia’s Century: Prejudices, Perceptions and Perspectives. The Asian dragon that was hibernating until deep into the 20th Century awoke. Asia rising has become Asia risen.

I would like to add a few observations and by doing so pave the way for Dr. Peter Ho’s public lecture.

Kishore Mahbubami describes in his (2008) book “The new Asian Hemisphere: the irresistable shift of global power to the East. A Return to Asia" and points to the newly restored historic situation in which Asia again will dominate the world economy in the 21st Century as it did a few hundred years ago.
Economically Asia has made great strides.

According to the World Bank it took less than 30 years for hundreds of millions of Asians to move from relative poverty and become a thriving middle class in economically booming countries such as China, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, to name a few.  

According to Goldman Sachs the economies of China, Japan and India will be in the top-4 largest economies in the World and possibly overtake the USA in size within the next 30 years.
During my recent visit to India I had the opportunity to witness the remarkable economic achievement happening in that country.

India – a democracy - can show growth figures we in the Netherlands can only dream of.

Asia is now in economic overdrive. And it is obvious that the EU in general and our country in particular must invest in and work together with our partners in Asia. Currently a quarter of EU imports come from Asia. Europe’s exports to Asia are still far behind potential but are growing fast. Promotion of trade and research cooperation with and inciting foreign direct investments from Asian partners is a prerequisite to sustaining the NL economic position in the world and in future. Economic diplomacy is now a major element of the diplomatic activities of the Netherlands in the world.

In terms of volume, almost 50% of the world's shipping transits the South China Sea.Equally important in terms of shipping are the Malakka straits and the India Ocean.

Although economic interests are of great importance, Europe and the US also share significant interests in regional security and stability in Asia. Potential tensions on the Korean Peninsula or across the Taiwan Strait or in the Indian Ocean hurt common interests and could threaten the stability we seek. Asia's counter proliferation and counter terrorism policies  should better be interlinked with EU and USA interests in the region.

The USA defined its geopolitical re-orientation towards Asia and the Pacific recently in November when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in November described the 21st Century as Asia's Pacific Century. “The Future of Geopolitics will be decided in Asia and the USA should be right at the Center of the Action" she wrote. Should not the same be the ambition of Europe, once it really gets its act together?

All this cannot be said without a few words about our relations with Asia's largest country, China.In the past 35 years Dutch-Chinese bilateral trade and economic relations have grown remarkably. Bilateral trade volume reaches over $ 30 billion annually while the trade volume was only $ 69 million in 1972.
The Netherlands ranks as China's 2nd largest trade partner and 2nd investor within EU.

I am told that well over 2000 Dutch companies are doing business in China and another 50,000 Dutch medium- and small-sized companies are involved in the economic and trade cooperation with China.

Our relationship with China is broad and diverse. Secretary Albright describes it as ‘multifaceted’. 

With our Chinese counterparts we must also engage in political dialogue, inevitable touching from time to time on delicate issues such as human rights. The big question being of course whether you can sustain a modern, innovative economy without democracy and – as Chris Patten stated many timers – “its principal fixtures and fittings: pluralism and the rule of law.”

Our dialogue, discussions and cooperation is also on issues such as urbanisation in Asia and how we can work together and learn from each others experiences.

An important feature of today’s China is its persistent urbanization and how it is dealt with. China’s balanced approach is acknowledged and an example to the rest of the expanding Asian.More than 60 percent of Asian populations today live in cities. This trend is bringing tremendous changes in the social, cultural and political economy of Asian societies and cities. Modern urban planning and management has to take into account the challenges of a diversity of urban societies of unmatched size and global connectivity with their heterogeneous populations, cultures and identities.

Urbanization and investments in public health and care, education, environment and housing go hand in hand. According to media reports last week more than 50% of the population of China lives in cities.
The news triggered discussions in Chinese media as to whether progress was fast enough to attain the level of 70% urbanization in the year 2030 as planned! These figures and dimensions are both unbelievable and factual at the same time.

When in the nineties we visited China whith large delegations, our hosts used to refer to similarities between our countries. As the differences are more obvious, I took this to be courtesy on their part. But when I once asked a Chinese official about this, the answer was – caracteristically – practical. “Densely populated areas, not enough arrable land.”

Here we touch on one of the big problems for China, which might become a danger for stability in the region and even in the World. With the increasing prosperity of the Chinese, the demand for more animal proteine in their diet is rising. As a consequence increasing amounts of rice and other cereals will have to be imported. I need not point out the destabilising effect that scarcity on the global foodmarket can bring.

It is therefore of the utmost importance that we, governements and businesses alike, can rely on the expertise here at the University of Leiden and at that of Wageningen, on men in fact  like Peter Ho to inform us and instruct us.

Thank you