There is more to China than business

There is more to China than business

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two Sinologists here said more people should study China for
academic reasons, rather than just for business.

Ignatius Wibowo and Abdullah Dahana, both of whom hold
doctorates in Chinese studies, told The Jakarta Post the small
number of Indonesians with expertise in the field should be
increased by motivating young scholars to study China for
academic reasons.

"People who want to study China should remember that because
China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, there are
more aspects to it besides its economy. They should study it not
only for practical reasons, such as to be a consultant for
companies, but more importantly for academic reasons," Wibowo
said recently at his house in Kramat, Central Jakarta.

Wibowo said the growing number of people studying Mandarin did
not reflect a growing interest in the general study of China, but
rather the growing need to be able to communicate with Chinese
businesspeople.

He said if people focused only on the Chinese economy, the
view of Indonesian scholars would become too narrow. He added
that scholars should also know about the history, politics and
culture of the country.

"If the main purpose is only to establish business relations
with Chinese businesspeople, they can use investment consultation
firms in Shanghai or Hong Kong. But then, you won't ever become
familiar with the rich history of China," said Wibowo, who is an
expert in Chinese politics.

Abdullah Dahana, a professor of Chinese literature at the
University of Indonesia, said there were dozens of reasons why
people should learn about Chinese history and literature.

"This country has a long historical record of relations with
China. The spread of Islam here was closely related to China's
trade and political history. But yet, this country also banned
people from studying Chinese culture for about 30 years. So we
missed lots of information about China's development over three
decades," said Dahana, who just authored a book titled China dan
Malaysia dalam Arena Perang Dingin 1949-1974 (China and Malaysia
during the Cold War, 1949-1974).

Dahana said Chinese studies existed in Indonesia during the
Dutch colonial era with the establishment of the Office of China
Affairs in the 19th century. But after Indonesia's independence,
and especially after Soeharto became president, Chinese studies
were neglected.

To stimulate more people to study China for academic reasons,
Wibowo and some of his colleagues set up the Center for Chinese
Studies, a non-profit institution that focuses on research on
China.

"The problem is that neither the government nor private
companies want to sponsor such studies," Wibowo said, adding that
the existence of the center was vital because the Chinese
government itself had not set up a study center here. (006)