Walking through the streets of Beijing and Shanghai, catching the lightning-fast trains, navigating cashless marketplaces, and observing the rhythm of daily life, one thing became strikingly clear: China’s modernisation is not just a matter of infrastructure or economics — it is a philosophy.
Image: AFP
Having recently returned from a two-week visit to China, where I spent time in both Beijing and Shanghai, I have come back not only inspired but deeply challenged.
Walking through the streets of these cities, catching the lightning-fast trains, navigating cashless marketplaces, and observing the rhythm of daily life, one thing became strikingly clear: China’s modernisation is not just a matter of infrastructure or economics — it is a philosophy. A national project. A social contract.
It is no coincidence that one of China’s most enduring proverbs says, “If you want to get rich, build roads.” This is not just about asphalt and motorways. It’s about building connections—between rural and urban, between people and opportunity, between vision and delivery. In both Beijing and Shanghai, I witnessed the outcome of this mindset: cities that function with near-surgical precision, where planning is not a bureaucratic exercise but a moral obligation to future generations. South Africa, for all its promise, has yet to embrace such a unifying vision.
What Is Chinese-Style Modernisation?
To truly understand what’s happening in China, one must move beyond the glitz of skyscrapers and bullet trains. The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (2022) introduced the term “Chinese-style modernisation”—a development model rooted in China’s unique history, culture, and governance structures.
At its core, this model prioritises:
Unlike Western models, which often favour rapid liberalisation and profit maximisation, Chinese-style modernisation takes a holistic, long-term approach. It doesn’t rush. But when it moves, it moves with discipline — and direction.
Time Is Money, Efficiency Is Life
China lives by another profound maxim: “Time is money, efficiency is life.” I saw this ethos not only in how services are delivered, but in how people move, work, and think. From Shanghai’s seamless metro system to Beijing’s meticulously managed public spaces, the focus is not on doing things the fastest — but on doing them right, with precision and purpose.
In South Africa, we lose precious time to inefficiency, both structural and human. Delayed projects, broken procurement systems, and an ever-growing distance between policy and action have eroded public trust. Yet what if we adopted even a fraction of China’s reverence for efficiency? What if our municipalities were held accountable for delivering services on time and budget? What if time, in South Africa, became sacred?
Infrastructure as an Engine for Equity
South Africa has often treated infrastructure as a political tool, rather than a catalyst for inclusion. Roads are built where votes can be harvested, not always where lives can be transformed. But China has taught us that infrastructure is the nervous system of modernisation. Without it, no economic limb can move.
In both cities I visited, infrastructure was not a privilege — it was a right. Even the farthest districts are connected by world-class public transport. Communities benefit from reliable utilities, smart city technologies, and clean, safe public amenities. Importantly, infrastructure in China is used to narrow the development gap, not widen it.
South Africa must do the same. Our townships must be fully integrated into national development strategies. A well-paved road can create a supply chain. A reliable power grid can launch a digital business. A rail line can create a mobile labour force. We don’t just need roads—we need vision-driven roads.
Governance with Teeth
Another lesson from China is the sheer capacity of the state to implement policy. In many parts of the world, “government” has become a euphemism for inaction. In China, it remains a mechanism of delivery. Officials are appointed based on merit and results. Targets are set and measured. Corruption is met with swift consequences.
South Africa’s public sector, by contrast, suffers from a debilitating trust deficit. The civil service has, in too many cases, become a refuge for the unqualified and the unaccountable. This is not only a governance issue — it is a moral one. If we are to modernise, we must professionalise. We need capable, ethical public servants with a mission-driven mindset. Governance must move from being a liability to an asset. Without that, no amount of foreign investment, technology, or goodwill can save us.
Digital Leapfrogging: The Underrated Advantage
China’s transformation into a digital society is breathtaking. In both Beijing and Shanghai, I did not once need to carry cash. From the smallest street vendor to the largest malls, everything operates through digital payment systems — tightly integrated into apps that also serve as social platforms, health passes, and transit cards.
South Africa has a high mobile penetration rate. With the right investment and political will, we could digitise public services, improve access to information, and empower informal traders to enter the formal economy. We don’t have to digitise the entire economy overnight. But we can start by digitising our intent.
Modernisation with a Human Soul
China’s model is not merely about material advancement. The emphasis on harmony between cultural development and economic growth offers a profound lesson. In South Africa, we often treat arts, culture, and heritage as sidelines to development.
But these are the very things that make development meaningful. China reminds us that a society must know itself even as it builds itself. Cultural spaces, historical preservation, and national pride are baked into their urban planning. Their modernisation is not rootless — it’s anchored.
The Road Ahead
China’s story is not a script for us to copy, but a chapter we must read carefully. South Africa’s modernisation cannot and should not look exactly like China’s. But the principles — discipline, long-term planning, efficiency, equity, and cohesion—are universal. We must find our own model of South African-style modernisation.
One rooted in Ubuntu, justice, and economic dignity. But let us not shy away from borrowing what works. Let us build roads — not just to get rich, but to connect our people to dignity. Let us value time, not just to grow our GDP, but to save our democracy.
If China could transform in one generation, so can we. But only if we decide—with conviction — that our time has finally come.
Sikho Matiwane is a seasoned entrepreneur and diplomatic commentator with a specialisation in international relations and geopolitics.
