At Large
China Wins
You’d think Barack Obama would recognize a superiority complex when he saw it.
President Obama has done his best to convince the Chinese leadership that he considers China an equal to the United States. Unfortunately he has missed the essential point of Chinese thinking. The Chinese believe they are superior to the United States — and every other country.
Part of this belief grows out of the sense of superiority that is an intrinsic part of Han culture. It perhaps does not fit in with the occidental idiom of international diplomacy that calls for a pretense at modesty, but it well fits the deep-seated, if carefully obscured, Chinese mindset.
An old Asian hand, the late Donald Wise, ex-Japanese POW and eventually an editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review, put it this way: “The Westerner rarely understands that no matter how obsequious any Asian, especially the Chinese, may seek to act, he always will consider you a lesser human being. The Japanese show it more often and appear to need to ultimately display their dominance, but the Chinese are far more clever at hiding their true feelings and exercise their strength only when it is most advantageous.”
In more academic terms Dominic Lieven has noted in his book, The Russian Empire and Its Rivals, “… few Chinese have ever doubted the absolute superiority of their culture…” He further quotes a contemporary Chinese expert as speaking of “an innate, almost visceral, Han sense of superiority.”
This has certainly been the case in Beijing’s handling of the new Obama Administration and President Obama himself — even though the American president has shown no sign of noticing any slight. In fact, as the Financial Times’s Geoff Dyer and Edward Luce have written regarding Obama’s recent visit to Beijing: ” …Mr. Obama formally conceded that in today’s world the U.S. can get only so far without China’s help.”
This of course plays to the firm Chinese belief in their ultimate cultural, and now financial, superiority. While perhaps a necessary device in diplomatic placation of Beijing, such kowtowing does not provide any leverage for the U.S. in terms of its own strategic interests. The problem that exists is that President Obama and his White House advisers think it does.
Like so many Westerners who in the past thought that they could “out-clever” the Chinese, the White House now thinks it has evolved a special relationship with Beijing in the creation of a unique financial partnership that it is happy to have the media characterize as the “G-2.” Regarding China, sympathetic Washington pundits have taken to referring to “the new more pragmatic approach of Obama.”
Unfortunately for Mr. Obama, what possibly is viewed by him as pragmatism is judged by the always superior Chinese leadership as an exploitable opportunity. The idea of the United States teaching China how to be a friendly global power is ludicrous. The Chinese were developing economic contacts in Africa as early as the 1960s, and have played the game of patron of the Third World since the decade before that.
It is possible to suggest that the Obama diplomatic methodology of excessive courtesy, characterized by some as fawning, is an excellent device that is far more effective than the “cowboy” character of the White House during the Bush years. It indeed would be possible to say this if there was any sign that the Chinese in turn have assumed any global responsibility to go along with having been anointed by President Obama an equal to the United States.
The truth is that Beijing, Washington’s banker, delights in its role as a financial tutor to the United States that has so egregiously mismanaged its finances. The Chinese are quite secure in counseling their American government counterparts to roll back domestic programs while cutting back international military commitments. The Beijing administration sounds positively — paleo-conservative. How clever is that?
It might be well for the current White House to remember that the Chou empire of c.1000 B.C. believed their land occupied the middle of the earth, and that they were surrounded by barbarians. The communists renamed their country Zhonghua renmin gonghequo (middle glorious republican country), translated into English as, the People’s Republic of China. This Middle Kingdom still believes it is surrounded by barbarians. President Obama would do well to recognize the fact that this is not going to change.
About the Author
George H. Wittman writes a weekly column on international affairs for The American Spectator online. He was the founding chairman of the National Institute for Public Policy.
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Pingback| 11.25.09 @ 7:40AM
The American Spectator : China Wins links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Rocco| 11.25.09 @ 8:00AM
Well now, what would you expect? Barry the Bootlicker with his tin cup in hand. A perfect illustration of how a once mighty industrial power is being reduced to penury by a cabal hell bent on our reduction to a has-been power. A process that seems to have begun during the Clinton years (maybe before), carried on through the Bush years and is now being avidly executed by this poseur.
Alan Brooks| 11.25.09 @ 12:04PM
The Romanization started with LBJ.
axbucxdu| 11.25.09 @ 1:45PM
"Alan Brooks| 11.25.09 @ 12:04PM
The Romanization started with LBJ. "
I beg to differ...we essentially went off the aureus with Lincoln...
Tony in Central PA| 11.25.09 @ 10:17AM
Modern American liberalism is so narcissistic and dimwitted its incapable of recognizing when its getting absolutely schooled.
kieth Macain| 11.25.09 @ 11:30AM
Another useless article written by George H. Wittman; which portrays the intelligent and hard working Chinese people as a bunch of “White Supremacist”. With garbage article like this, George once again helped spread intercultural mistrust and hatred. Congratulations to Spectator, You just lost a loyal reader.
John Lee| 11.25.09 @ 1:33PM
Mr. Whiteman is such a visionary! Being an asian in this wonderful country, I have been seen countless situations where whites "may seek to act, they always will consider you a lesser human being..."; where few whites "have ever doubted the absolute superiority of their culture…"; where whites speak of "an innate, almost visceral, sense of superiority..."; where whites "believe their land occupied the middle of the earth, and that they were surrounded by barbarians...".
Wow, this is deep. Thank you for speaking out in such honesty, Mr whiteman!
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International Travel Adapter Plug – USA & European to Australia, New Zealand, China | links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Tim Teng| 11.25.09 @ 1:41PM
Myself, a Chinese-American born and raised in Taiwan until 14, and most of my ethnic chinese-american friends all recognize the following:
In this country the pursuit of individual fortune/fame, at best overlook and at worse at the expense of national/collective welfare, has rendered us a nation of small but wealthy class plus a dispirited and increasingly poorer populace.
Nah. China didn't win, instead, its people & leadership are self-aware and observant on what WE did wrong, thus what not to repeat.
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ncatty| 11.25.09 @ 2:13PM
And of course the Amercan President will travel to the Middle Kingdom. What would be more natural? Several of the commenters take offense, but it is better to have a confident China, confident in its history and culture. Neither does it appear that China is a threat to its neighbors. Why leave the Middle Kingdom?
Retty| 4.9.10 @ 4:29AM
A perfect illustration of how a once mighty industrial power is being reduced to penury by a cabal hell bent on our reduction to a has-been power. A process that seems to have begun during the Clinton years (maybe before), carried on through the Bush years and is now being avidly executed by this poseur. top rated elliptical machines and elliptical trainer prices
HJG| 11.25.09 @ 2:42PM
Oh sure, the Chinese are very much certain of the superiority of their culture, like every other people on Earth. But they NEVER tried to "convert the Barbarians", nor did they ever assimilate anyone who isn't willing to be assimilated (I would call assimilating your conquerors pretty civil, no?), so I don't know what's your point.
Le Cracquere| 11.25.09 @ 3:39PM
I'm sure the good folks in Tibet, Turkestan, Inner Mongolia, and Taiwan are relieved to hear that. "Whew ... silly us!"
Tony in Central PA| 11.25.09 @ 3:14PM
HJG, considering where most of my ancestors appear to have lived, I'm certainly glad somebody saw them for what they were ( barbarians ) and made the effort to convert them. I don't feel particulary deprived by not having the cultural expactation of being able to pillage, rape and burn.
Pingback| 11.25.09 @ 9:14PM
The American Spectator : China Wins | searchgoodluck links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Mandarin Chinese Online | 11.28.09 @ 4:34AM
What they say doesn't matter to me.
it really make me down
electronic | 11.30.09 @ 4:12AM
First of all, I wouldn't trust ANY bill punched out by the idiots in congress today.
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The Chinese are certainly smart people, but I think they should not so much perk)
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Well
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I'm sure the good folks in Tibet, Turkestan, Inner Mongolia, and Taiwan are relieved to hear that. "Whew ... silly us!"
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