Title: Example of People-to-People Diplomacy in Tianjin, China
Column: Learning from Reality with Dr. Chira Hongladarom
Source: Naewna. September 24, 2011, p.5
I led my team to fly from Bangkok to Tianjin. Tianjin has been a very important city of China since historical period. Because it was influenced by the western countries for a long time, France, the U.K., Germany, Belgium and Russia were allowed to do business and have extraterritoriality. Tianjin became an important industrial city and ancient learning center.
I read history of Tianjin long time ago. I never think I will have a chance to join the meeting here. I want Thais to pay attention to Tianjin. If they come to Beijing, they can proceed to Tianjin for one or two more days. Now, it takes only half an hour from Beijing to Tianjin by hi-speed trains.
While I was writing this article, I was still in Tianjin until Friday. This is the 5th or 6th largest city in China. It has a population of more than 10 millions. Like other cities of China, it has wide roads and a lot of constructions especially, skyscrapers.
I have two main points of discussion as follows.
First, I was invited to make a presentation at Institute of Human Resource and Social Security of Tianjin University.
This university is very old. It is almost 120 years old. It was established in 1895. Institute of Human Resource and Social Security of Tianjin University invited 30 participants consisting of Ph.D. and Master’s Degree students and teachers to listen and share knowledge for more than two hours.
My lessons learnt are as follows.
This institute has conducted several research studies on human capital in China especially population problem of China. Formerly, each family was limited to have only one child. At the present, it helps decrease Chinese population a little bit but causes a lot of social problems to Chinese families.
An interesting finding from this research is that forcing the family to have only one child will lead to aggressive behaviors, mental problem, social and family problem. These children are self-centered. When they become disappointed with their works and studies, they are like to commit suicide and lead to high dead toll because their families spoil them.
This makes me think of Thai society. Spoiling child will worsen the quality of child and human resource in the future as well. They lack Sustainability Capital. Thai children will become aggressive, easily frustrated and lack patience.
There was much academic exchange on human capital. I presented human capital concepts such as 8K’s and 5K’s including future cooperation between FIHRD and Tianjin University.
I invited lecturers from Tianjin University to visit Thailand to create academic cooperation. If any Thai universities are interested in cooperation with Tianjin University, they can contact me.
On September 22, China Renewable Energy Society (CRES) organized a big event called "International Workshop on Solar Thermal Power Technology" and invited me to deliver the opening remark.
EGAT sent Mr. Winai Naknam to join this event and present Thailand’s case study on solar energy.
Most participants were solar energy experts. Many of them were from Europe. It was a great honor for me to join this event, deliver the opening remark and present works of which I was proud. I would like to admire Mr. Suthat Pattamasiriwat, EGAT’s Governor for placing emphasis on international relation and cooperation creation. He took this opportunity to well present Thailand’s image of solar energy to the world.
In my opening remark, I mentioned about these points.
- Alternative energy becomes more important in the future world lacking oil.
- The cooperation between Thailand, GMS, China and other group like Europe.
- China will become the leader of alternative energy because of concern for global warming creating good image for China to solve global warming in the future.
- Do not emphasize on engineering and science only. Pay attention to education, economics, energy law and human resource development in alternative energy.
- Energy conservation is still important. Do not look at supply side only, but also look at demand side.
- Even though this workshop focuses on solar energy, wind, biomass and biogas remain very important.
- China greatly invests in research and development preparation for solar thermal energy because it will reach the breakeven point within the next 15-20 years. Therefore, preparation is needed. This should be a good role model for Thailand in the long term.
I invited the participants from this workshop to join the International Conference which FIHRD will organize as the phase 3 project from March 5-17, 2012 in Thailand. This will be the final conference on human resource development for alternative energy of GMS countries.
The first five days will focus on environment and energy problem.
The next three days will be the International Conference concluding the last two year’s work. OECD, ADB, World Bank’s delegates will be invited to join.
The last five days will focus on human resource development for alternative energy development.
On this trip to China, I met and took this opportunity to invite several experts like Prof. Carlo Rubbia, Italian Nobel Prize Award Winner and Prof. Jorge Servert del Rio from Spain to join the Conference in Thailand.
All works become successful because of the full support from Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs especially Dr. Apinan Phatarathiyanon, Director-General of Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency (TICA),Ms. Suchada Thaibunthao and Ms. Veraya Jaru-ampornpun who give us encouragement in starting effective People-to-People Diplomacy.
Mr. Wu Zhiyi, the Chinese Government’s representative always coordinates well and greatly welcomes our group.
People-to-People Diplomacy is important. Government alone cannot make it.
This is my report from Tianjin.
Please click this link to see pictures.
http://www.naewna.com/news.asp?ID=280817
Prof. Dr. Chira Hongladarom