BEIJING: On the evening of April 23, China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a video exchange with the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, where he laid out suggestions embodying Chinese wisdom that are shedding light on the future of China-U.S. relations.
“A country practicing hegemonism is doomed to fail”
Wang Yi brushed aside the narrative prevalent in the U.S. that proclaims “a country will seek hegemony when growing stronger” and laid out the Chinese wisdom that “a country practicing hegemonism is doomed to fail.”
The former theory is problematic in that it lacks analytical rigorousness and is often used to justify actions to prevent the rise of emerging countries, which has long incurred push-backs in the policy circles and academia. Furthermore, a blind belief in this theory causes security dilemmas and risks incurring self-fulfilling prophecies.
The current China-U.S. relations are at peril of such a trap. The Joe Biden administration labeling China as the “most serious competitor” errs in this direction. China has never intended to replace the U.S. as a hegemon; instead, the Chinese oppose the very notion of hegemon and is a victim of hegemony in today’s world.
The U.S. grievance toward China is in large part due to a twisted understanding of international relations.
In reality, the Chinese admonishes “benevolence” over “hegemony” since ancient times. There is plentiful of historical evidence that the Chinese never sought hegemony and adopted a peaceful policy toward neighboring countries which contributed to long-term stability and prosperity in East Asia. An appreciation of Chinese culture would help ease U.S. paranoia and reduce risks of imprudent actions toward China.
“Democracy is not Coca-Cola”
Another notable remark from Wang is that “Democracy is not Coca-Cola that promises the same taste everywhere in the world”. This vivid analogy reminds us that democracy is a common value shared by humanity, but its forms and contents vary across different countries at different stages.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN
News exchange item
