WESLEY SEALE
One of the many advantages of living in China is that you can hop onto a low-cost airline and visit any of the neighbouring countries. Since my Sussex days, a trip to Bali has been on my bucket list.
A classmate of mine in the UK had been from Indonesia and had a background in tourism. In fact, to this day, she runs a tourism business and was studying the developmental effects of tourism from a political and governance slant.
In her study, and one supposes in any research, there was no better case study than Bali.
The contradictions of development through tourism were, therefore, stark when our vacation finally came in January 2019, just before Covid-19.
The developmental effect that tourism has on the local Balinese economy has been significant, bringing many out of poverty into SMMEs, local manufacturing and expanding the agricultural sector.
In fact, during the seventies, the Balinese economy was almost exclusively agricultural and, therefore, a primary one. Today, Bali, having moved into developing some tertiary industries and sectors, is one of Indonesia’s wealthiest regions.
However, the exploitation of people, especially the poor, and the environment has also been devastating. Unlike neighbouring regions or countries, Balinese beaches are not always pristine.
The contradictions of development, as experienced by regions such as Bali, was highlighted at the recent G20 Summit and especially by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.
The theme of this year’s summit was: ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger.’ Among others, President Xi expressed the imperative of making global development more inclusive while ensuring that it becomes beneficial to all.
Lending an Indonesian proverb, President Xi reminded the leaders of the G20 that “sugar cane and lemon grass grow in dense clumps.” He went further to explain that the “proverb well captures the value of solidarity. Division and confrontation serve no one’s interest. Only solidarity and common development is the right choice to make.”
Yet, he went further to remind everyone that “prosperity and stability cannot be possible in a world where the rich become richer while the poor are made poorer.”
Even more so, the Global Development Initiative (GDI), a brain-child of President Xi, has China “working with 100-plus countries and international organizations on the GDI, thus providing new impetus for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
At the same time, “global trade, digital economy, green transition and fighting corruption are key factors driving global development…” while “food and energy security is the most pressing challenge in global development.”
On the sidelines of the G20, President Ramaphosa had the opportunity to meet with President Xi Jinping and congratulate him on his re-election as the general-secretary of the Communist Party of China.
Speaking on behalf of Africans and South Africans in particular, President Ramaphosa expressed our appreciation and gratitude to China and the leadership of President Xi for the “precious help to South Africa and other African countries on Covid-19 response and being among the first to help African countries ease the debt problem.”
South Africa reaffirmed its commitment to having China as a comprehensive strategic partner.
The challenges faced by countries such as South Africa and the rest of Africa are challenges faced by many countries in the global south, especially China and Indonesia. We must be able to learn from each other, especially when engaging with leaders from the global north.
President Xi Jinping has been especially instrumental in sharing learning experiences and deepening people-to-people relations.
Even more so, we must be able to show solidarity not only in safeguarding the environment and the beaches of Bali, Betty’s Bay and Beihai but also to ensure the dignity and prosperity of the poor in our cities.
Seale completed his Masters’s degree in the UK and his PhD in China.