Lesson to be learned from EU's refugee influx

The desperate attempts of refugees to enter Europe have caught the world's attention, and China has a lesson to learn from it. The refugees are mainly from the war-torn Middle East and North Africa, and unlike immigrants seeking a better life, they just want food and safety. That's why the European countries are in a dilemma: whether or not to grant them asylum.

Some countries in Eastern and Southern Europe, where the refugees have concentrated, have their own economic problems and cannot afford to take in the refugees. Still, they cannot send them back to their countries. It is possible that in the future, the refugees will become a big problem for Europe and could even trigger large-scale social unrest.

But what Europe faces today, China could face in the future. Thanks to more than three decades of fast-paced economic development, China offers better job opportunities and quality of life than some of its neighbors. And since some countries and regions around China face high political risks, it is possible that a large number of refugees will line up at China's border in search of safety and a better life.