How China Sees the World And how we should see China

The Atlantic ^ | MAY 2020 ISSUE | Story by H. R. McMaster

[vg0va3]

China has become a threat because its leaders are promoting a closed, authoritarian model as an alternative to democratic governance and free-market economics. The Chinese Communist Party is not only strengthening an internal system that stifles human freedom and extends its authoritarian control; it is also exporting that model and leading the development of new rules and a new international order that would make the world less free and less safe. China’s effort to extend its influence is obvious in the militarization of man-made islands in the South China Sea and the deployment of military capabilities near Taiwan and in the East China Sea. But the integrated nature of the Chinese Communist Party’s military and economic strategies is what makes it particularly dangerous to the United States and other free and open societies.

[vg0va3]

This statement by Li Keqiang, the premier of the State Council and the titular head of China’s government likely woke the entire delegation up when visiting the forbidden city.

"He began with the observation that China, having already developed its industrial and technological base, no longer needed the United States. He dismissed U.S. concerns over unfair trade and economic practices, indicating that the U.S. role in the future global economy would merely be to provide China with raw materials, agricultural products, and energy to fuel its production of the world’s cutting-edge industrial and consumer products."

[DesertRhino]

McMaster is nothing but a tank commander who got out of hand. He has about zero strategic thinking ability. Now he decides the big threat is China. Might have been nice if he would have realized that when he focused all the attention on the war on Syria, and on cultivating as much hostility with Russia as he could.
Might have been nice to peel them away from the Chinese orbit when that was in the realm of the possible. But he was too busy stabbing Trump in the back. Like I said, I might trust him commanding a brigade of Tanks, but he has no business anywhere near policymaking.

[Fai Mao]

“He began with the observation that China, having already developed its industrial and technological base, no longer needed the United States. He dismissed U.S. concerns over unfair trade and economic practices, indicating that the U.S. role in the future global economy would merely be to provide China with raw materials, agricultural products, and energy to fuel its production of the world’s cutting-edge industrial and consumer products.”

And, what if the US doesn’t want to provide those things?

[henkster]

But he is correct on this. If America does not wake up from it’s opium fog of Chinese misinformation, in 15 years every American governmental, business and educational organization will have a Chicom political officer assigned to make sure we don’t get out of line. We will call them “democrats.”

[ealgeone]

Good grief...if the Atlantic is showing this level of concern against China then they’re far more of a threat than believed.

[Zhang Fei]

[McMaster is nothing but a tank commander who got out of hand. He has about zero strategic thinking ability. Now he decides the big threat is China. Might have been nice if he would have realized that when he focused all the attention on the war on Syria, and on cultivating as much hostility with Russia as he could.

Might have been nice to peel them away from the Chinese orbit when that was in the realm of the possible. But he was too busy stabbing Trump in the back. Like I said, I might trust him commanding a brigade of Tanks, but he has no business anywhere near policymaking.]

---

We can get Russia onside by handing them Europe. Problem is - the cure is worse than the disease. We’re in NATO to deny Europe to Russia. If the bear were tameable, we would have admitted it to NATO a long time ago, and NATO would be on China’s border. Problem with Russia is the problem with China - both are are world-conquering empires that will not give up their territorial aspirations until their cities are burnt to the ground, tens or hundreds of millions of their citizens lie dead and occupying armies break them up into dozens of countries. In other words, the traditional way in which so many would-be hegemons saw their dreams of glory turned to ashes.

For Russia, the end of the Cold War is analogous to the end of WWI. They’re down, but not out, just waiting for an inspirational Hitler-type figure (minus the psychosis of Nazism) to get their armies going again. Putin’s a bit long in the tooth, but he’s built a pretty good rapport with Xi Jinping, and both of them seem to see themselves as men of destiny. Given China’s massive economic growth, Russia will probably have to play Italy to China’s Germany. But a rerun of WWII is coming, with the country names rearranged but, in general, the free world vs the rest.

[vg0va3]

All great points. I vehemently disagree with one of the suggested solutions:

"The United States and other free and open societies should consider issuing more visas and providing paths to citizenship for more Chinese—with proper safeguards in place."

The guy does a great job laying out the problem that if China was welcomed into the international political and economic order, China would play by the rules, open its markets, and privatize its economy.

[hinckley buzzard]

All this was elucidated in stark terms by Timberlake and Triplett 20 years ago in their 1999 book “Red Dragon Rising,” including the review of the previous 20 years of imbecilic naïveté on the part of just about the entire western world. So hungry were American policy makers to get into the “vast emerging market of a billion consumers” that the US government turned a blind eye, e.g., to the massacre at Tiananmen Square, which revealed that the Party and the Army are one, and have one objective: preserve power and grow it beyond China’s borders.

The belief that China would moderate if given favors from the West was an unforgivable delusion, and one for which we now pay dearly. Only Trump has been right on China all these years. McMaster should have learned from Trump, not been so arrogant toward him.

[Don Corleone]

China has become a threat because its leaders are promoting a closed, authoritarian model as an alternative to democratic governance and free-market economics. The Chinese Communist Party is not only strengthening an internal system that stifles human freedom and extends its authoritarian control; it is also exporting that model and leading the development of new rules and a new international order that would make the world less free and less safe

AKA The Democrat Party of America.

[hinckley buzzard]

.Really. How obtuse is this guy. He just explained how he lately woke up to the fact that China has no intention of playing by any civilized rules, then turns around wants to open our doors to them? It just shows how deep the swamp mentality sinks into lame brains.

[Campion]

Wake me when China actually invents something the rest of the world wants, as opposed to stealing someone else's tech and then manufacturing it cheaply. I think the last thing they invented de novo that mattered to anyone else was gunpowder.

[frog in a pot]

The belief that China would moderate if given favors from the West was an unforgivable delusion...

Many similarities with both 1930's Germany and Japan 1930-40, if not a quite exact model.

[frog in a pot]

Now he decides the big threat is China.

Perhaps only because it has become undeniable. Even then it appears he has not shaken the mindset likely gained by his two post-graduate degrees out of UNC Chapel Hill.

[gandalftb]

The Chinese believe that they are superior to everyone, including other Asians.
............
They consider themselves master businessmen. The Communist party is simply a mechanism of organization that allows the Chinese to focus money strategically.
............
Because of that the communists have the “Mandate of Heaven” to control China and expand their power around the world.

[datura]

General Chi Haotian, former Defense Minister of China:

“ Therefore, solving the “issue of America” is the key to solving all other issues. First, this makes it possible for us to have many people migrate there and even establish another China under the same leadership of the CCP. America was originally discovered by the ancestors of the yellow race, but Columbus gave credit to the white race. We the descendants of the Chinese nation are entitled to the possession of the land! It is said that the residents of the yellow race have a very low social status in the United States. We need to liberate them. Second, after solving the “issue of America,” the western countries of Europe would bow to us, not to mention Taiwan, Japan and other small countries. Therefore, solving the “issue of America” is the mission assigned to the CCP members by history.

I sometimes think how cruel it is for China and the United States to be enemies that are bound to meet on a narrow road! Do you remember a movie about Liberation Army Troops led by Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping? The title is something like “Decisive Battle on the Central Plains.” There is a famous remark in the movie that is full of power and grandeur: “The enemies are bound to meet on a narrow road, only the brave will win!” It is this kind of fighting to win or die spirit that enabled us to seize power in Mainland China. It is historical destiny that China and the United States will come to unavoidable confrontation on a narrow path and fight each other! The United States, unlike Russia and Japan, has never occupied and hurt China, and also assisted China in its battle against the Japanese. But, it will certainly be an obstruction, and the biggest obstruction! In the long run, the relationship of China and the United States is one of a life-and-death struggle.

One time, some Americans came to visit and tried to convince us that the relationship between China and the United States is one of interdependence. Comrade Xiaoping replied in a polite manner: “Go tell your government, China and the United States do not have such a relationship that is interdependent and mutually reliant.” Actually, Comrade Xiaoping was being too polite, he could have been more frank, “The relationship between China and the United States is one of life-and-death struggle.” Of course, right now it is not the time to openly break up with them yet. Our reform and opening to the outside world still rely on their capital and technology, we still need America. Therefore, we must do everything we can to promote our relationship with America, learn from America in all aspects and use America as an example to reconstruct our country.”

That is how China still views us.

[Susquehanna Patriot]

China is not interested in inventing something the rest of the world wants. They are self-interested only. They are interested in inventing anything that will allow them to subjugate their enemies, including the US. The CCP appears to keep alive a visceral need to make the world acknowledge their [perceived] superiority and greatness since the beginning of time.

[shanover]

Why does the Atlantic print this when they have those who are true believers in the China/DNC/Globalist Cabal? The media is very slick with lies and deceit. They have been known to print one thing and not believe one word of it.

[Truthoverpower]

Except they have one.2 billion people of which 800 million are poor and they have to feed all those people forever

[No.6]

They already do. They’re called “diversity and inclusion officers.”

[Campion]

China is not interested in inventing something the rest of the world wants.

Which is why they will never achieve the kind of economic dominance they crave and imagine they deserve. Copiers are not leaders.