Usually, my conversation with my father-in-law is about the stock market.
That particular day whilst visiting Shuri Castle in Naha, our conversation veered towards the topic of weak/strong China vis-a-vis bad/good China. (thanks to those plague from the Qing era).
We somewhat agree that it is preferable to have a strong China who is bad (in the context of democracy and human right) rather than a weak China who is good as long as the government is not as bad as that of Mao's. (My view of Mao's government is both bad and weak.)
It is embedded in almost all Chinese that they have been a victim of imperialism or foreign aggression. I cannot deny I do share this thoughts every now and then. Hence I am sometime less critical and more partial and more permissive of what China/CCP does.
We also come to the broad consensus that a weak country cannot be good especially for a large country like China. Being weak is synonymous with being bad in the modern history of China. (Strong/weak is read in the diplomatic, military and economic context).
While I offer no evidence of support, this sentiment is perhaps shared by the great many of the 1.3 billions Chinese
Having said all those above, there is no question that what you wrote is the way forward for China and it is the aspiration of many of us who are increasingly disappointed with the slow progress made in human right and democracy. You correctly pointed out that CCP's reaction to LXB's Nobel prize is evidence of her very own insecurity. This I am with you.
The problem with China today is the lack of confidence at the CCP leadership level. I am dead sure that they know what is inevitable yet they have chosen a (hopefully) longer road (though I am also becoming more frustrated).
Lets hope that LXB is the last famous prisoner of conscience. (admittedly this is a very unremarkable hope)
By the way, I suspect that the modern China (neither had the classical China) is uninterested to export any of her ideology or impose her way of life with the rest of the world unlike the European with her enlightenment, the American her democracy. Let me be candid, China hasn't had anything superior (I mean in soft power aspect) to offer the world yet.
That still leave me not an advocate for a more assertive China in the world affairs. I strongly believe the priority is still to elevate the standard of living and to ease the overbearing control over her citizens.
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2 comments:
Bro, Welcome back with the two posts. I would love to spend some time meditating on the weak/strong vs good/bad China. But what you suggested pretty much tally with my write up on China's Conundrum. The central idea is that for China to be a great power it will need more than strength and ability: it needs to inspire something that humanity can aspired to. Without this ability to inspire, China's leaders will fear its people. Without something to offer the world, where should the world look to China to lead? At the very least China can begin by paying more attention to its values and the Chinese idea of living. May be this is considered "good" China. To me, the way to a truly strong China goes through a "good" China.
Re: the way to a truly strong China goes through a "good" China.
If we look at many great powers in the past, many of them are strong without being good (the Hitler's Germany, the Imperial Japan, the various European power from 16 to 20 centuries. Arguably, almost all the great powers are bad in one way or the other.
My view is that there is no causal link between being strong and being good. Being strong doesn't necessarily requires it to be emulated or followed by the rest of the world. I am not talking about isolationist policy. what I am saying is that China need only safeguard her core interest without being too ambitious to impose her values on to the others.
being good is a goal to be accomplished, that perhaps should come after 发财立品. Of course I am also in favor of China persuing both goals simultaneuosly. If we need to trade off, I am no doubt which oen should be the priority. At this trajectory of China's progress, I do agree that it is high time to relax its grip over her peoples.
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