【新闻随笔】春节广受关注，“中国风”带暖世界******
作者：董川(北京语言大学联合国研究中心兼职研究员)
中国农历新年是中华民族最隆重、最热闹、最喜庆的节日，承载着中华民族几千年的历史和文化传统。从非洲埃及到南美洲巴西，从纽约帝国大厦到悉尼歌剧院……刚刚过去的中国农历新年在世界各地掀起了“中国风”，世界各地的人们纷纷加入欢庆中国农历新年的行列，享受春节文化，表达对美好生活的期盼。
中国农历新年之所以引起世界广泛关注，首先要归结于中国经济发展和国际影响力的提升。据统计，2013至2021年，中国对世界经济增长的平均贡献率达到38.6%，超过G7国家贡献率的总和，是推动世界经济增长的第一动力。联合国近日发布的《2023年世界经济形势与展望》报告预测，受多重因素交汇影响，2023年世界经济增速将从2022年的约3%降至1.9%；但中国经济增长将会加速，预计达到4.8%，成为带动区域经济增长的龙头。
中国农历新年之所以引起世界广泛关注，离不开海外华侨华人的贡献。国家有需要时，华侨华人总是第一时间驰援。华侨华人对中国的贡献贯穿了从辛亥革命、抗日战争、解放战争、社会主义建设、改革开放，一直到中国特色社会主义新时代的全过程。海外华侨华人是中华文明和中国文化最重要、最直接的传播者和展示者。每逢中国农历新年之际，海外华侨华人都会举行巡游、展览、音乐会、庙会等形式多样的庆祝活动，向世界展示博大精深的中华传统文化。目前，中国农历新年相关民俗活动已走进全球近200个国家和地区，有约20个国家将春节列入该国整体或部分城市的法定节假日。如今中国农历新年已成为世界性的节日符号，成为各国人民了解和感知中国的一扇窗口。
中国农历新年备受世界关注是一件好事，有助于让世界各国人民更多了解中国文化，更加清晰地感知可信、可爱、可敬的中国形象。但是在庆祝过程中，也要注意以下几点：
一是要精心挑选和准备庆祝形式和内容。我们很高兴地看到中国书法、民乐、绘画、剪纸、武术、茶艺等优秀传统文化，通过中国农历新年呈现给世界各国人民。但我们也看到有的地方在庆祝活动中出现了一些封建迷信的内容，由此给海外观众带来的感官效果值得反思。
二是在庆祝活动中要更加注重内涵挖掘和文化诠释。中国传统节日如春节、清明节、端午节、中秋节等，是中国人民生活情感的共同表达，承载着中华民族共同的文化记忆，其中蕴含的天人合一、慎终追远等人文精神厚重绵长。除了在形式上展示，还需深入挖掘传统节日的文化内涵，向海外民众多渠道诠释中国传统节日厚重的历史感和文化价值。
三是加强文化的双向交流。既要大力弘扬农历新年等本民族节日文化，也要积极学习吸收其他民族和国家的节日文化，推动文明互鉴。文化交流是国家间交往的桥梁，只有双向互动、双向流通，才能实现各美其美，美人之美，美美与共，天下大同。
《光明日报》( 2023年01月31日 02版）
中新网评：美国众议长选举“连续剧”暴露美式民主痼疾******
中新网北京1月9日电(蒋鲤)在15轮投票表决后，美国众议院议长选举这场“连续剧”终于落下帷幕，众议院共和党领袖凯文·麦卡锡最终成功当选第55任美国众议院议长。这是美国国会过去164年来耗时最久的一次议长选举记录，将美国“对抗式民主”的弊端暴露无遗。
资料图：美国众议院共和党领袖麦卡锡。中新社记者 沙晗汀摄
由于两党对立加剧、党派内斗、利益分配不均等因素，众议长选举陷入一场拉锯战。在此次众议长竞选中，美国民主党议员继续抱团，多轮投票中，一票不投麦卡锡，共和党右翼“强硬派”领头的约20人小团体也拒绝投票麦卡锡。
麦卡锡的当选之路一波三折，除了本人的“政治投机派”角色在国会不受欢迎外，与共和党内部政治分歧关系密切。
一方面，共和党党内反对者认为，麦卡锡对民主党态度过于软弱，无力对抗民主党控制的参议院和拜登政府，另一方面，因为共和党的多数优势微弱，党内一些影响力较小的派系的政治力量则被放大，有利于他们巩固自己的选票。
此外，党内反对者也认为，自己的选票没有换取更多利益，希望以此作为筹码换取麦卡锡更大的让步，比如让他们获得众议院重要委员会中的职务。
作为仅次于美国总统、副总统的政坛三号人物，众议院议长通常由众议院多数党领袖担任，选举几乎没有悬念。然而，麦卡锡此次为当选，不得不做出多个关键让步，其中可能包括恢复一项罢黜议长动议机制，使得众议长的权力被削弱，难以掌控众议院。
美国有线电视新闻网CNN称，麦卡锡在这场不合时宜的政治勒索中作出让步，这种绥靖政策只会让极端主义势力更加强大。
这场引发全世界围观的尴尬选举暴露出美国政治存在严重的对立和分化。在权力博弈思维的裹挟下，党派利益凌驾于国家和人民利益之上，美国两党相互拆台，陷入“为反对而反对”的无脑对垒。而即便是一党内，也会因为利益分配问题产生不同的小派系，相互对抗，选票变成了谋利益的工具。
从国会山骚乱到打破记历史记录的15轮众议长选举，“对抗式民主”让美国政治陷入瓶颈，长期对抗势必会让政客们丧失客观公正的判断能力，其政治阶层是否有能力治理国家也会引发质疑。
两党之争和党派内斗进一步放大了美国政治体制弊病，美国所谓的“民主”形象，让全世界大跌眼镜。鼓吹以选民利益为先的美式选举，变成了政客们利益置换的游戏，进一步彰显出美国“民主政治”日渐失能，不断极化的党争已使美国政治制度陷入死循环。
House speaker election reveals deep-rooted problems in U.S. democracy
(ECNS) -- The Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was elected as the 55th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives after 15 ballots. As the most grueling House speaker election in the past 164 years, the election has highlighted the defects of the country’s "confrontational democracy".
The election once reached a stalemate due to intense partisan strife, inner-party struggle among the Republicans, uneven distribution of interests, and more. Democratic Party members forged a close alliance, refusing to vote for McCarthy, while about 20 Republicans also declined to cast ballots for the GOP leader.
Except for his unpopular role as a "political speculator" in Congress, McCarthy’s hard-won election can be attributed to turmoil within the Republican Party.
On the one hand, opponents in the Republican Party believe that the GOP leader's attitude toward the Democrats is too weak to confront the Senate controlled by Democrats and the Biden administration.
On the other hand, the political power of some less influential factions in the Republican Party has been amplified due to the Party’s weak majority advantage in the House of Representatives, which is conducive to consolidating their ticket warehouses.
Meanwhile, these opponents believe that their votes failed to win them more benefits, hoping to use this as a bargaining chip for McCarthy's further concessions, such as getting them positions in important House Committees.
As the third political figure after the President and Vice President of the U.S., the speaker, by tradition, is the head of the majority party in the House of Representatives.
But McCarthy has made many concessions in order to bring the ultra conservatives along, involving what’s known as the “motion to vacate,” a mechanism by which members can force a vote to depose the speaker. The reported concessions will empower individual members at the expense of McCarthy’s sway as speaker.
CNN thought the concessions he made during this unseemly political shakedown would only make the extremist faction more powerful.
This embarrassing election, which has drawn global attention, exposed the serious opposition and polarization in American politics. Both Democrats and Republicans put their interests before that of the country and its people, attacking and opposing each other irrationally.
Besides, different factions arise within a single party and confront each other because of the distribution of interests. Votes have become a tool to win more benefits.
From Capitol riots to the House Speaker election with record-breaking ballots, "confrontational democracy" has become a bottleneck of American politics. Long-term confrontation will surely impede politicians to think objectively and fairly while their capacity of governing the country will also raise doubts among the public.
Both parties’ struggle and infighting among the Republicans have further amplified the defects of the American political system, with its "democratic" image shocking the world.
The U.S.-style election, which advocates putting voters' interests first, has become a game of interest exchange among politicians. In addition, it further demonstrates the malfunction of American "democratic politics" and the constantly polarized party struggle that has trapped the American political system into an infinite cycle.
