Politics and Theater: Making Sense of China’s National People’s Congress

June 9, 2020 — Three experts on China — Asia Society Policy Institute President Kevin Rudd, Arthur Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations Orville Schell, and research professor and chair of the 21st Century China Center at the University of California, San Diego Susan Shirk — discuss the implications of the country's recent political gatherings. (1 hr., 2 min.)

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[Gman]

Loaded with theory but light on reality. They are talking about how China should run its own country. Seriously.

[ExplorerBob]

Both of these self-proclaimed China experts know so little about China that it is frightening. It is a cringe worthy experience listening to both speak. Kevin Rudd is far more knowledgeable and should be the one interviewed.

[alanpyau]

The whole discussion has nothing but to reinforce each other's already entrenched believes. It comes out of self-inflicting Sinophobia because of looking at the phenomena in China in the western mentality. Kevin, having spent some time in Taiwan, is supposed to be able to express more in-depth observations better than what he does.

[henrychuah]

Not your problem, just stop interfering with internal affair of Hongkong. Mind your own business.

[zhenyuxia]

Over 20 years ago, I realized if I want to be a fluent English speaker, I simply can't put together a sentence in Chinese in my mind and then translate it. I just have to think in English to feel the context and dynamics. Same thing with political systems. Translating everything happening in China to what you know or understand won't cut it. You probably have to learn to think like a Chinese. Easier said than done, I'm sure.

[orangutan]

As a Chinese it is a turn off to see what USA can do to countries like South Korea or Japan; are these two countries really free and independent? Or they are just US's colonies?

[orangutan]

Chinese don't ask much, just want to be treated as equal and with respect like in George Floyd case, you think US can do that?

[fabianyee]

I don't think the lady guest knows China enough to actually speak about China's affairs....

[keffinsg]

Wouldn't it be refreshing to have a real Chinese person to have a conversation with, rather than these people who profess to be China experts.

[ctfrancisco]

Unfortunately, this is more of a monologue than a conversation...

[masonchan]

Kevin Rudd should be looking for someone with sufficient knowledge in the subject to have such discussion but these two guys who appeared to be with very little insight about the topic.

[michaelhammond]

Why did Orville show up for this conference ? As he said he doesn't know anything

[billyyap]

This old guy stated he only see the black box in China. My question is, does he spend time to understand how the China political work?

[raykong]

It's a failure before it started. We need to allow people to do what they are good at, not humiliating them by inviting them to talk about what they don't really understand. The bright side is that I got to expand my vocabulary as an English learner. And Kevin, I know it's so hard to be neutral in the current situation, but you gotta try.

[hun]

Kevin just invite two "experts" that state they know little about Chinese politics in the first round of this discussion. They are so unprofessional, looks like just two random lay back boomers from the US.

[RayDu]

Okay... I feel relieved to find I'm not the only one who thinks these two "experts" neither have very adequate knowledge of China, nor try to see the world from China's perspective.

[liechinmannorman]

No one, especially the Westerners can claim to be an "expert in China" unless he /she has a decent command of the Chinese language, an in depth knowledge of her 5 thousand years of civilization comprising the traditional Chinese appreciations of history, poetry, arts, music, chess and calligraphy, which are intrinsic and integral part of Chinese culture. The virtue of what makes a Chinese thinks and behaves is more or less dictated by the nation's historical past which till today has profound impact on Chinese mentally and emotionally. This lady Shirk is ill prepared to answer Rudd's question given that her facts on Dr Li Wen Liang is totally off the mark and contrary to WHO 's account of how China actually handled the Covid19 head on and was more successful than the West. The only consolation the West can draw about Chinese success versus their own failure is always Chinese propaganda and non transparency of the CPP. The Western political and academic arena are full of Don Quixote personalities when the issue of a rising China is concerned spreading unfounded fear and skepticism on the yellow giant of the East.

[violinpracice]

My problem with the criticism of Chinese foreign policy is that people usually assume it is China who started the unilateral actions, but I do not think the military advances of two countries would be crystal clear for outsiders, even for professionals on geopolitics. SCS, maybe yes, but Indo-China border clashes?

[rynoculousflaviusmaximus]

Who does these three represent in Plato’s allegory of the cave? I would argue these three represent the figures scurrying about in the background trying to control the images on the wall.

[wahyuindrasto]

*My question is whether Orville and Susan can speak chinese (mandarin). If they could whatever occured during the CCP's recent congress shouldn't be too much of a mystery. Thus they should've gotten a sense of how Xi Jinping thinking is and what general direction China is heading towards.*