Global China: Assessing China’s growing role in the world

On Thursday, May 9, Foreign Policy at Brookings hosted Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) for a discussion on the implications of China’s growing global role for American foreign policy and national security.

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[maitri]

Are You playing by rules when one wants import oil from Iran

[alfredyap]

Just on China not becoming a democracy... That nail on the coffin was done in 1918 when President Wilson awarded Shangdong to Japan, renegading US commitment to give back to China after the end of WW1... which accentuated the rise of CCP in 1921.
Further to that the CCP saw how the Soviet Union under Gorbachev collapsed with democracy being introduced (not forgetting how Qing dynasty fell in 1911 after adopting democracy with supposedly a constitutional monarchy ) ... this is probably something Americans should be aware

2ndly, China is never a democracy, it has no experience in it... other than 1911-1949 with a messy KMT government and Japanese occupation.

3. The limited experience of democracy fell in line with the idea that China is strong when united and weak when fall apart or messy. Democracy with multi-party system and freedom of opinions are messy to the CCP. The questioning of authority also went against the confucian system that had been i grained into Chinese society over 2500 years.

To expect a civilisation with deep history to adhere to a foreign idea... is not realistic.

Taiwan messy democracy, money politics and corruption doesn’t do democracy its rightful model for China.

Democracy only flourished in US and European cultural sphere because of its early adoption in greece and allows a culture of speech

Not that Chinese people can’t become democrats nor freedom of speech seekers... we can but it would also mean a loss of cultural and roots of adherence to ancestry and authority.

Look at Singapore.... despite our election and democratic systems... an English speaking society, some Americans still insisted that we are not a democracy... because we don’t have a free press. If Singapore doesn’t qualify as a democracy in American definitions, then can China ever be democracy in American terms?

[cnhugovideo]

Now I understand why Gondon Chang can survive.

[funkiam]

USA must accept we live in a multipolar world!

[seokoking]

The senator ended by asking how and what ways the US and China can coexist, collaborate, and working for the good of all, not engaging in some ideological battles as many are hoping for. This is very encouraging as it shows not everyone is buying into the narrative of making an enemy of China.

[longdog]

Level playing field? Like what’s with the 800 US military bases around the world. The invasion of Iraq. The blockades and sanctions of Iran and Venezuela? Not to mention dozens if not hundreds of other interventions throughout Latin America, Asia, Africa and Middle East post WW2. Pinochet, Suharto, Marcos, Duvalier, mobutu etc.

[gentleman]

Speak on facts instead of opinions man! Loosing your credibility. Too much bashing, no facts!

[utuber]

The Grandmaster of hypocrites! Don't do what the US does, do what the US tells you to do!

[Moniq]

Expected a lot more China bashing from a US senator. Maybe China-US ties can normalize with a Democrat president.

[fannibal]

With the exception of Kevin Rudd, almost every single other person's view of China suffers from the same lack of nuance, even when they say they are speaking from a position of nuance. So much of China's strength had nothing to do with forced technology transfer, unfair business practices, or espionage. It has to do with the sheer size of China, and the ability of the average Chinese person to work extremely hard without violently protesting. You see it in mom and pop chinese takeout joints across the USA. It's just like the strength of the german people. You can squash their nazi government in WW2, but they will rise to position of power one way or another as demonstrated by the current German manufacture powerhouse. The western economic weakness is from an elite that got there through violence and not meritocracy. If you can't hang with the best china has to offer at the elementary, middle school, and high school level at your local suburban elite schools(I. E. Stuyvesant), what makes you think that as a society you can remain as competitive?

[marleocjsdjostcte]

I listened 1/8 to this and stopped. I got the point and I know US won't be willing to accept the power shift. That's okay and let's play the game till the game shows a result. Don't get split or destroyed till then, okay?

[woodensurfer]

The US should quit the ideal of spreading democracy around the world. The US should first take care of problems at home.

[srikanthremani]

The consensus has formed in DC, the only hold out seems to be Joe Biden.

[hhandrewchen]

This guy is just lying to himself... You wouldn't be triumph by lying to yourself. It dosen't take much wisdom to understand that you don't fool everybody by fooling yourself.

[sc-touf]

*What an evil senator! A fear monger! A fire starter!*