來源：人大重陽
編者按：中國在教訓中成長，在經驗中積累，同樣也在進步。中國人民大學重陽金融研究院執行院長王文在環球時報英文版第50篇「變局」專欄中表示，中國人越來越追求更美好的生活狀態，而一些西方媒體與政客對中國人權發展的詬病，實在太偏頗。西方慣用的中國敘事恐怕確實需要一場革命式的變化。本期人大重陽君為您推薦英文版、中文譯文。
本文英文版在環球時報的版面截圖
我一度以為自己再也不能跑步與登山了。過去三年連續跑完多個馬拉松、攀登多座洲際最高峰後，我的腳踝舊傷復發，無法劇烈運動，身體發福。我為激進的運動方式付出了慘重的代價。幸運的是，經過幾個月的治療與調整，近幾周我開始恢復跑步。不再炫耀，不再走極端，就是為了追求健康的生活方式。
環顧中國，像我這樣中年人的運動經歷似乎越來越多。以馬拉松為例，2015年，中國馬拉松規模賽事數量僅134場。2019年就躍升到了1828場次，參賽人數超過1000萬人次，5年間增長了13.6倍。馬拉松賽約一半的參賽者年齡都是35-50歲之間。
這個年齡段是社會的中堅層，對運動偏好的提升，是中國人在物質生活富足後、追求新穎體驗與健康生活方式的縮影。
當然，中國人追求更美好的生活狀態，肯定不是一帆風順，也並非無懈可擊。近些年，詬病馬拉松賽事的聲音越來越多。每年中國的馬拉松賽事都會發生猝死事件，像我這樣激進型運動受傷的現象更是不少。
這使得體育醫療康復產業在中國的發展變得迅猛，各類體育培訓、健身俱樂部、運動APP一些新興產業也蓬勃發展。馬拉松帶動的各類產業鏈的年度經濟產值已超過1000億美元。
在教訓中成長，在經驗中積累，中國在進步。1949年新中國剛成立時，中國人平均預期壽命僅36歲，2010年已上升至74.9歲，2018年又提升了到了77歲，接近於美國水平（78歲）。從這個角度看，一些西方媒體與政客對中國人權發展的詬病，實在太偏頗。
換句話說，中國社會近年來一個重要的變化，被熱衷政治化的西方媒體所忽視了。普通中國人對高質量生活的追求，不只是使這個國家的國民身體變得更健康、生活變得更快捷，也產生新的經濟業態，推動持續的民族復興。
再舉一個典型例子，據估計，14億中國人有約10億還沒有坐過飛機。在中國，許多數百萬、千萬級人口的著名城市，如蘇州（約1000萬人）、東莞（約800萬）、莆田（約300萬）等這些比芝加哥、亞特蘭大人口更多的城市，竟都沒有機場，只能飛到附近城市再坐車過去。
截止2019年底，中國一共有530個機場。美國擁有13513個機場，巴西擁有4093個機場、墨西哥1714個機場。而國土面積僅為35.7萬平方公裡的德國，擁有539座機場，也多於中國。這樣的差距使一些中國城市對機場建設非常踴躍。
這正是黨的十九大報告中提到的，中國特色社會主義進入新時代。中國社會主要矛盾已經轉化為人民日益增長的美好生活需要和不平衡不充分的發展之間的矛盾。在這個新時代，矛盾的不斷化解，自然而然就會帶動民眾的生活提升、社會的穩定繁榮、國家的持久進步。
很可惜，美國政客們常常用意識形態的價值觀念來看待中國發展，動輒把中國人權描述得很差，要麼就把中國共產黨視為民眾的對立面來看待。如果這不是美國政客們對華打壓的戰略陰謀的話，至少應該算是戰略誤解。
其實，14億人的衣、食、住、行稍有所改善，中國經濟就會被提升一大截，同樣也可拉動世界經濟的發展。2020年全球受疫情影響，中國是唯一正增長的主要經濟體，預期對世界經濟拉動超過50%。
中國經濟源動力來自於每一個普通中國人對更好、更高、更優的追求。當然，這個過程仍是不容易的，會有挫折，就像過去常運動受傷的我。
對於每一個外國朋友來說，從「發展-矛盾-糾錯-再發展」的邏輯角度看中國，就會很容易發現這個國家的魅力。諾貝爾經濟學獎獲得者羅伯特·希勒在其新著《敘事經濟學》中說，當下高度聯通的世界裡，通過新聞媒體與社交網絡傳播的流行敘事，在影響著人們的決策，乃至改變整個經濟和社會的走向。
由此看，西方媒體與政客們的那些慣用的中國敘事恐怕需要有一場革命式的變化。
以下為英文版
West needs to change its China narrative
By Wang Wen
I once thought that I could not run or do mountaineering anymore. My ankle sprain kept recurring after running multiple marathons and climbing multiple peaks over the past three years. I have paid a heavy price for my radical way of exercising. As I have recovered after several months of treatment and recovery, I stop showing off or going to the extremes, but rather pursue only a healthy lifestyle.
It seems that in China, many middle-aged people like me are increasing their participation in sports. Take marathons. In 2015, there were only 134 marathon events in China. In 2019, the number jumped to 1,828, with over 7 million runners.
About half of the participants in marathons are aged between 35 and 50 years old. This age group is the backbone of society. Their increasing interests in sports reflect the growing trend of Chinese people pursuing healthier lifestyles after enjoying material prosperity.
Indeed, the process of Chinese people's pursuit of a better life has certainly not been smooth all the way. There are critics of marathon events in China in which sudden deaths occurred and many have been injured. But marathon has led to the rapid development of the sports medicine and rehabilitation industry in China. Various related emerging industries, including sports training, fitness clubs, and sports apps, are also booming.
China is advancing by drawing lessons from the past. Chinese people's average life expectancy stood at 77 years (close to the US' 78.7) in 2018, a sharp increase from 36 when the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949. From this perspective, some Western media outlets and politicians' criticisms of China's human rights situation are awfully biased.
That is to say, one of China's significant recent changes has been overlooked by the Western media outlets that are eager to politicize anything. The pursuit of a high-quality life by ordinary Chinese not only makes them healthier and facilitates their life, but also injects dynamic to economy and boosts national rejuvenation.
Another example. By the end of 2019, there were 484 airports in China. Meanwhile, according to data of US Central Intelligence Agency, by the end of 2013, there were 13,513 airports in the US, 4,093 in Brazil, and 1,714 in Mexico. Germany, whose territory only covers over 357, 000 square kilometers, had 539 airports that same year. This gap is stimulating some Chinese cities to proactively construct airports.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the opening of the 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress in October 2017 that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. Xi said the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved into one "between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life."
In this new era, repeatedly addressing contradictions will surely improve living standard, promote social stability and prosperity, and lead to constant national progress.
Unfortunately, US politicians often view China's development through tinted ideological lenses. They frequently portray either human rights in China as extremely bad or the CPC as the antithesis of the Chinese people. This is at least US politicians' strategic misunderstanding of China.
In fact, even a slight improvement in 1.4 billion people's life would lift China's economy in a large scale, which can also boost the development of the world economy. In 2020, when the world is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, China has been the only major economy with positive growth and is expected to contribute greatly to the world economy.
China's growth has been empowered by each and every ordinary Chinese citizen's pursuit of better life . This process, of course, is not easy. There will be setbacks, like I used to get injuries when I do sports.
For every foreign friend, it is easy to perceive the charm of China from the logical pattern of "development - contradiction - correction - redevelopment." It can therefore be seen that the outdated narrative about China from Western media and politicians may need a revolutionary change.
（The author is professor and executive dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, and executive director of China-US People-to-People Exchange Research Center. His latest book is Great Power's Long March Road.）