Understanding China critical to world peace

By Thomas Hon Wing Polin Source:Global Times Published: 2017/5/2 globaltimes.cn

Throughout the 20th century, Western ideas dominated the world - politically, economically, militarily, financially, technologically and culturally. Their imperium was seriously challenged by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. But the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to the West's unipolar moment, immortalized by the hubristic - and spectacularly wrong - declaration that history had ended with the triumph of liberal democracy. By the late 1990s, it became clear that the only entity capable of contesting the Western hegemony in the foreseeable future was China. The country, one of the world's oldest civilization, was making an epic comeback from the nadir to which it had sunk at mid-century.

Since then, it has become almost a cliché that the US-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Since consolidating its position as the global manufacturer, China has become a global leader in such important sectors as infrastructure, e-commerce, financial technology, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, civilian drones, and certain areas of aerospace and defense. 

The Washington-centered imperium has responded with increasing alarm, thanks to its traditional zero-sum mentality and obsession with full-spectrum global dominance. A major byproduct was its "rebalancing to Asia-Pacific," which started in 2011. The aim was to contain China by encouraging anti-Beijing policies among US allies in Asia, as well as stirring latent tensions between China and neighboring nations. The cynical, self-serving gambit risks triggering military conflicts in Asia, in which four decades of peace enabled the region to become the engine of world economic growth over the past dozen years.

How is China responding? In the 1,400 years between the fall of Rome and the Opium Wars, China was the world's sole superpower. If it matches or overtakes the US in the coming decades as No.1, how would it behave? What would be its intentions toward other countries, and how will its policies shape up? What are the dimensions and prospects of its "soft power," which is now beginning to make impacts in economic, political and technological development?

These are critical questions for all people in positions of influence worldwide. Most of these questions are not being answered, or even framed properly by the English language media. The mainstream media outlets, in particular, have shown themselves notably ignorant as well as biased in their coverage of China, reflecting the perceptions and values of the Western elites, as well as stereotypes popular among the masses. The real China is much more complex, and rapidly changing with remarkable speed. 

For the sake of building constructive US-China relations in a time of peril, it is essential that this gaping hole in the global discourse be plugged. That can be done by a radical rethinking and reorientation of Western media's approach to their China coverage or, more likely, by the evolution of genuinely eloquent and convincing English voices in China's media. 

The purpose would be to reflect increasingly important Chinese perspectives on global affairs. That would help foster accurate, non-Western-centric understanding of China, a country and civilization that has long puzzled outsiders, especially those who do not know the Chinese language. Such comprehension will be critical to the maintenance and promotion of world peace in the 21st century.

Despite all the talk about "middle kingdom" and "central state," the profound sufferings of the Chinese people over the past century and more have chastened the nation and its leaders. The last thing they want is more war, devastation, and suffering. Having been carved into de facto colonies, China would not wish to inflict the same fate on other countries. Ultimately, China is a nation of merchants and traders, not warriors or adventurers. Their long history attests to this fact. When they could have taken over much of the world in the 14th and 15th centuries, they - in the mirror image of the Europeans - retreated behind their own borders to mind their own business.

The single best, most revealing expression of China's vision for the 21st century is its Belt and Road initiative. The megaproject is a contemporary version of the original Silk Roads, which helped the ancient world flourish for more than a millennium.

The vast, unprecedented project is not only about economic development, but also cross-cultural understanding and connectivity. It is intended to be highly flexible, accommodating everyone who wishes to join. It has no set course or rigid parameters; its agenda will evolve with time and be determined by real needs and possibilities. Ultimately, it will connect and perhaps integrate the entire Eurasian landmass. And if nations elsewhere - such as the US - wish to participate, it could even encompass the globe.

When all is said and done, that may be the most sensible way ahead for humankind - if it is not only to survive, but thrive.

The author is a senior editor at the international newsweekly Asiaweek (English) and founding editor of Yazhou Zhoukan. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn