Source: Global Times
Russian Geopolitics Network article on August 31, original title: China’s restrictions on gaming are part of the social transformation of the opposition between collectivism and individualism This is a fascinating new era of socialist reform. It is ambitious, aggressive and thorough, and ultimately aims to achieve one result: winning the technology war with the United States.
With the restructuring of the private tutoring industry, restrictions on large technology companies, and rectification of fandom culture, China is now turning its regulatory attention to the video games that young people are overly addicted to. It's another effort to align Chinese society with national priorities, demonstrating once again that the interests of big business don't always represent those of society as a whole. George Soros expresses uneasiness about this, but it may be more of a sign that China is on the right path.
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In just a few decades, the development of electronic games has comprehensively changed our lives and entertainment styles, and spawned a huge industry. China has a big share of this pie. But in the eyes of Beijing's leaders, that's where the problem lies. The boom of the gaming industry is consuming more and more young people’s time and resources, disrupting social and educational development. Games are fun, but playing games never really achieves anything tangible or valuable, so China stops dead in its tracks and shouts “enough is enough: children should focus on what really matters in life.” The priority is education, not the fantasy world of the game.
This is bad news for China’s big game companies, but it reflects a sense of wisdom. This is also related to the intensifying technological struggle between China and the United States and China’s vision of achieving its own development. In other words, China should develop better semiconductor, artificial intelligence and high-end technology chip companies instead of those increasingly expanding gaming companies.
If there is one message from these recent events, it is that a country's economic strength is not just defined by how many " Zuckerbergs " it has. For China's economic and strategic development, some things are more important. It’s not about who has the most billionaires or the biggest companies, but the U.S. challenge means China needs to excel in specific areas on which its strategic future and success depend.
China has made it clear that it does not want, need or value gamers. It is a time-killing activity that can be participated in in moderation, but has little social value. Chinese media calls games "spiritual opium," metaphorically touching on a lingering historical memory. China is in the midst of a new "Opium War" against the West - some Western countries want to impose ideological, economic and strategic preferences on China, just like Britain exported opium in the 19th century. But this time, Beijing is determined not to allow history to repeat itself. China does not want a society of gamers but a society of engineers, scientists, doctors and innovators, people who can ensure Beijing wins the technological competition and has the upper hand in its fight with the United States. (Author Tom Fudi, translated by Qiao Heng)
