China Shouldn’t Be Inscrutable

A brilliant article! We need to recognise that every country will be (just like human beings) a mix of the good and the bad. For example, the USA is the power which took in the tired, poor, huddled masses from Europe yearning to breathe free and gave them a new life. It is the country which put defeated Germany and Japan back on their feet. Corporate America???s policies on diversity and anti-harassment are an example to companies all over the world. USA is also the country which invaded Vietnam and Iraq and created Guantanamo. Why shouldn???t China be also a mix of the good and the bad? www.winnowed.blogspot.com

"The new world might well be the same as the old???the 19th-century world, that is, marked by economic globalization, political nationalism and war." MOST of the 20th century was also "marked by economic globalization, political nationalism and war." The 21st century is and will be the same. Human nature cannot change in a matter of decades or centuries. Significant cultural change takes longer than that as well.

Great job, Mr. Fareed!! Please keep it up. I always enjoy reading your articles, which are far more objective and insightful on many articles on American magazines that are only fit for narrow-minded domestic consumption. Your articles are usually far more insigtful and demonstrated the thorough knowledege on international affairs, which however may be a bit complicated for some of your provincial readers to comprehend.

Professor Francis Fukuyama has renounced his affiliation with neo-cons because he sees clearly that the unjustified use of force leads only to chaos and destruction of the present world order still best called as liberal capitalism.

Professor Fukuyama should be more worried to see the effort made by some Western liberals and activists to take China as a dark force. So the world appears to have a swing towards Robert Kagan???s view of another cold war or a return of history where violence and strong will prevail instead of rationality or rule of laws.

China has been moving in the right direction in the past 30 years; the Chinese people think so and many clear-eyed Westerners think so. Even Mao 40 years ago had no idea of having a big fight with the west if China was not under attack from the West.

Of course, there is a dark force in China that flirts with the idea of overthrowing the civilian government and putting China back into the old communism ready to fight with any threats from the west. If this dark force is able to maintain some sanity in the face of neo-cons??? China-bashing yells, it might be deranged by the yells from some Western liberals, which testify well to the inevitability of the clash of civilizations.

Dear Mr. Zakaria, the world might be turned upside down in ignorance and dangerous ideologies if we are short of the voice like yours. I better understand Bertrand Russell???s remark now that connects Rousseau???s romantic idealism of personal freedom with Hitler???s fascism. I see now a close connection among the current ideology of Free Tibet and a new racism against China and a chaotic world where lives would be lost and liberal capitalism would be turned upside down.

This is truly a masterpiece of understanding China. Few people can accurately unveil the complexity of the state of mind of China today. Indeed, Evan Osnos brilliantly captures the complexity of the rise of nationalism in China???simultaneously Western and anti-Western among the educated. Fareed Zakaria pinpoints that we don't know what to make of the views of the Chinese people, who are more aggressive than their government on many issues, including Taiwan and Tibet, and who often seem more anti-American. Let me offer an amateur help on the conclusion. While the Chinese are learning from the West to reclaim their historical status for sure, it is questionable that they want to be an exact replica of the current West. The fate of anti-Western development in China, which is a sure reaction to the unfair and self-righteous China bashing, is in the hand of West again.

This is truly a masterpiece of understanding China. Few people can accurately unveil the complexity of the state of mind of today???s China. Indeed, Evan Osnos brilliantly captures the complexity of the rise of nationalism in China???simultaneously Western and anti-Western among the educated. Fareed Zakaria pinpoints that we don't know what to make of the views of the Chinese people, who are more aggressive than their government on many issues, including Taiwan and Tibet, and who often seem more anti-American. Let me offer an amateur???s help on the conclusion. While the Chinese are learning from the West to reclaim their historical status for sure, it is questionable that they want to be an exact replica of the current West. The fate of anti-Western development in China, which is a sure reaction to the unfair and self-righteous China bashing, is in the hand of West again.

f

use your own knowledge to find the truth rather than be swirled hither and thither by the media. understanding is the prerequisite to make an objective,sensible and meaningful judgement about the others

understanding and proper knowledge about the others can lead to objective and sensible judgement . try to find the truth rather than be swirled here and there by the media.

Well written article but why so much fuss about China? The US is getting unnecessarily paranoid about China that it has to start installing long range missiles in the Balkans on the pretext of countering terrorism from the middle-east. The US is relentlessly though slyly trying to ensure that China is not going to be a superpower. Infact the US has never for a second ruled out China as a threat.

At first glance, this perky little essay seemed to break some cliches, but unfortunately, it turned out to be just like the same old tune that goes, anything or anyone that disobeys the orders of the U.S. will be smashed or at least, be criticised for "Shortcomings". This man's perspective on China is neither unique nor constructive, and he's been talking about China quite often these days, pretty smart anyway, it's like some Hollywood actress trying to make a fame out of sleep with the superstar...

It seem to be an essay that breaks the cliche, but the fact is, it's the same old tune goes that anything or anyone that disobeys the orders of the U.S. will be smashed or at least be criticised for "shortcomings". This man's perspectives on China is neither unique nor constructive, he talked a lot about China these days, quite smart anyway, it's like a Hollywood actress sleeping with the superstar and trying to make a fame out of it.

Well, I think your article said it all. It is time for us to adjust, and align our self with the new powers, China and India and accept them as allies. this is the time.

Ali

I agree with you, Fareed, with all the things you have said about the old world adjust to the New World.
If we don't align ourself with the rising powers and don't recongnise them, well, that is going to be a great mistake. Excellent article

Ali

What beats me is the ongoing chant of advocates of global trade in favour of a disaster that has cost the West a good deal of its industry and jobs, increased the price of oil , gas and such basic staples as bread and flour, made dumping look a respectable trade practice and so on. In a word, global trade has made Westerners poorer. and insecure. There is only to hope this madness is brought to an end as soon as possible. What the world needs is rule-based trade, not this free for all..

I really agreen with fareed's article.especially considered the most nationalism extremists are those who study abroad,not inside china,Western politicians should think about their policy twice.