Colin Mackerras takes the interview. (Photo/Ma Ziwei)

“China has retained its essence and respected its own culture characteristics in the process of modernization over the past seven decades. I am very optimistic about China’s future,” Australian sinologist Professor Colin Mackerras told a journalist of People’s Daily Online recently during an exclusive interview.

Professor Colin Mackerras is Emeritus Professor of Business Strategy and Asian Studies at Griffith University in Australia, and an academician of the Australian Academy of Humanities as well. Often people refer to him as “old friend of the Chinese people” as he received the Chinese Government Friendship Award in the Great Hall of the People in China in September 2014. In the past 50 years, Professor Mackerras has not only concentrated on studying Chinese history, culture and other aspects of Sino studies, but also actively introduced the real China to western countries. He has published many master works such as China's ethnic minorities and globalization (2003), Western images of China (1999), and China in transformation, 1900–1949 (1998) amongst others.

As early as 1964, the 25-year-old Australian man, Colin Mackerras, who had just graduated from Cambridge University, was invited to teach at the Beijing Foreign Studies College (now called Beijing Foreign Studies University). He said that the he shared a very valuable period of growth with new China. “When I first went to China I used to go to work every day in an old American car which was left over from the pre-liberation period. Now it's also so modern. There are many cars and China produces its own cars with very high quality.”

Professor Mackerras believes that the rapid development of China's economy has changed the lifestyle of Chinese people, and all these developments are based on serving the people. “Another example is the high-speed trains. They're fast, smooth, reliable and punctual. I think that this one best aspect of technology amongst others should be transferred to the world,” said Professor Mackerras, “Although there are many reports about China’s economy slowing down, it’s still achieving quite high growth percentage standards. It’s still growing and growing well if you compare it to other places in the world. I think China is very impressive with its economic growth rate.”

As an expert on studying the Chinese culture, Professor Mackerras said that China is very confident in its own culture, and is good at using new methods to explore traditional art so that they can adapt the context of modern life. Many Chinese opera theaters such as the National Center of the Performing Arts, the Mei Lanfang Grand Theatre, the Zhengyici Peking Opera Theatre, provide a friendly viewing environment for foreigners, which all contribute to cultural heritage and development. “There are new ways of exploring those traditions, new ways of acting, new patterns of music, which combined the traditional tunes of traditional music and have also added some western instruments.”

Colin Mackerras in Yanan, northwest China's Shaanxi province.

Furthermore, Professor Mackerras has also emphasized that he was shocked by the popularity of Chinese education. “It's been really spectacular how China went from being such a poor country in 1949 with such a low literacy level, and now almost everybody can read and write. I really think that is very impressive. And it's not only about Chinese literacy rates, it is also the same when they learn other languages,” he said.

According to the impressions of Professor Mackerras, Chinese people have always been brave and hardworking. They put many efforts into their professional work and love their jobs and this is very important for the long-term development of the society.

China’s rise is closely linked to the policy of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Professor Mackerras indicated. “I think the way that Deng Xiaoping developed and applied gave a new perspective and gave people the lead they needed. In other words, to give people more incentives, to change people's incentives, and to help them feel that they had a real investment and involvement in China's growth and development. That was very brilliant. I think the party leadership has been really important throughout the whole development process, because you need a particular aim to develop in that way.”

Professor Mackerras mentioned in his publication I See China: The Image of China in the West Since 1949 (2013), China’s image in the world is not only related to China itself, but also to how the world sees China. He explained that China's international image depends not only on "China's actions", but also on what happens in Western countries themselves. Talking about the current Sino-US trade dispute, Professor Mackerras stated that the Chinese have never practiced hegemonic policies throughout China's history, while the Western public opinion has been misled that it has. “I do expect China's rise to continue, despite what the Americans are seeming to do at the moment. And I do expect the balance between China and the United States to keep on changing in China's favor.”

Talking about China Australia relationship, Professor Mackerras commented that China's influence toward the rest of world is enormous, especially for Australia, which is reflected in economic, social and cultural aspects as every Australian currently is experiencing. China is the largest trading partner of Australia now. When the world suffered in terms of currency and the financial crisis from 2007 to 2008, China also gave a helping hand to Australia.

For the past two years, Professor Mackerras has also been involved in the "When Koala Meets Panda" China Australia Short Video Contest hosted by the People’s Daily Online Australia. He evaluated that the contest is very valuable and has deepened the understanding of Australian people to China. “It gets people to be friends with Chinese people and China, and furthermore to love China,” he said. He believes that significance of the exchanges between the young people is that it will let them get to know each other better.

Professor Colin Mackerras has witnessed the ups and downs of new China. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People Republic of China, he hopes that China continue to move toward its own goals and continuously enhance its positive influence on global development. “There is no need to make too many expectations about China, I’m optimistic about the future.” (People Daily Online/Aonan Li)