China is one of the longest continuous civilizations in the world; however the modern People's Republic is still young (~60 years). Despite this fact, it is still asked to take part in various global activities such as aiding in the stabilization of the global financial crisis (appreciation of the RMB/Yuan)/ taking the blame from the US (criticizing Chinese exchange rates and trade policies) and the environment as if it on par with the US.
But is China really up to this level of responsibility? Most people will automatically believe so due to what they hear or see in the media.
Most people's perception of China is skewed by the media, political propaganda and cultural differences, and sometimes even their own experiences. Learning more about the country and its people is key to fostering healthy relations with a young China. China is a case where most people see the forest, but not the trees.
Obviously, only looking at the GDP (3rd, most likely soon to be 2nd, IMF, 2009)and the GDP growth rate will have you believe that China is immensely wealthy, and politicians propagate this idea. During the financial crisis, China was invited to invest in American companies and was pressured to allow their currency to appreciate; this shows how much responsibility the West puts upon China in global finances. However if one is to look at the GDP per capita of China, it is ranked 98 compared to the US at 9 (IMF, 2009), a huge difference in rank to the total GDP. Not only that, but wages have been outpaced by the growth rate, and income disparity is becoming more and more widespread (increasing by almost 300% since the formation of the the People's Republic). And honestly, the strengthening Yuan did not affect the markets as much as hoped for/predicted; this shows the misplaced weight which foreign policy makers and economists have pegged to China.
Environmentally speaking, China does indeed have many factories and produces the most greenhouse emissions of any country in the world, including the US. But looking at a per capita basis it is again evident that the root of this large statistic is merely the large population size of China. The average Chinese person produces only 20% of the emissions of the average American. China also burns the third largest amount of fossil fuels in the world, but it barely reaches 33% of the consumption rate of the US, and only a tenth of the consumption rate of Americans through a per capita viewpoint.
The majority of the population is not extremely wealth, or large consumers of products and fossil fuels; over a third of jobs are in the agriculture industry, and many farmers still use outdated machinery or farm by hand. Many people believe otherwise as they only visit large cities (the spotlight being on Beijing at the Olympics, and now Shanghai for the Expo) which are sculpted to present the best appearance to foreigners.
Unfortunately, despite the rapid infrastructural and education reform in recent years, public services, transportation and education are still out of reach for many of the general population. The majority of China today still resembles the West of the late 19th and early 20th century; but the Dragon of the East is growing fast.
China does not need a nagging parent; it needs a friend who will help it develop into its full potential. This involves learning more and understanding about the culture and the views of this great country. For now, the West should guide China and try to solve its problems themselves while leaving China to improving living standards within itself first. China welcomes advice, and criticism, but not pressuring it into moving at a speed it does not want, and not disrespecting of its way of thinking. With the world situation as it is, having more friends will never hurt.