tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27932062.post7704168957454625477..comments2023-10-10T15:39:35.168+00:00Comments on Centre for European Reform: China’s peaceful rise turns pricklyCentre for European Reformhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815454225955436329noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27932062.post-1271514754839158862010-03-25T12:14:00.451+00:002010-03-25T12:14:00.451+00:00This paper has correctly identified the 'sympt...This paper has correctly identified the 'symptoms' but I would argue that the 'diagnosis' may not be correct. The problem is that in the West, most people look at the 'China' issue through the Western lens, and subsequently interpret the 'symptoms' accordingly. China, like any other country in the world, acts in its best interest but so far has not shown ambition to be another US. It is true that in Copenhagen, China (working with other major emerging economies) was blocking a deal devised by a handful of mainly developed countries that best suit their own interests, but did not address the issues of fairness, equity, responsibility, leading by example etc adequately as demanded by developing countries. Since Copenhagen, China has issued various statements explaining their position but I have not seen much of that reported in an unbiased way in the Western media. In relation to human rights, China has successfully pulled hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, hence protecting their social and economic rights. This aspect of human rights (which together with civil and political rights form the two main international human rights covenants) has very often been conveniently brushed aside by most developed countries to protect their economic competitiveness (farm subsidies is a good example), which is the currency of power in this globalised world. Sometimes paranoia and entrenched interests in the West are as bad as a centralised control of media in China.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27932062.post-24138994000063784652010-03-03T08:02:07.997+00:002010-03-03T08:02:07.997+00:00Bill Emmots bein replaced as the editor of the eco...Bill Emmots bein replaced as the editor of the economist a few years back has led the coverage of china to be fairly sycophantic. It is pathetic to watch the economist trying to get readership by slowly becoming fox news especially on coverage of chinaMacko Uskohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03854113924478223398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27932062.post-49498417328477217592010-01-26T05:46:13.006+00:002010-01-26T05:46:13.006+00:00Your opinion won't be hard in China which is u...Your opinion won't be hard in China which is unfortunate, because centralized control of media can be very dangerous. What is Rupert Murdoch doing to deserve his US citizenship?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27932062.post-66531082564918122902010-01-25T22:20:50.532+00:002010-01-25T22:20:50.532+00:00This is a very good and timely piece, although I w...This is a very good and timely piece, although I would like to suggest that China’s sending of a small naval squadron into the Gulf of Aden has less to do with multilateralism (i.e. in this case, helping Europeans and Americans contain the pirate menace) and more to do with the strengthening and consolidation of its geopolitical presence in the Indian Ocean...James Rogershttp://europeangeostrategy.ideasoneurope.eunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27932062.post-61512452380899140712010-01-25T12:10:10.785+00:002010-01-25T12:10:10.785+00:00Charles Grant has written - not for the first time...Charles Grant has written - not for the first time - a very timely and prescient essay. China has fused communist authoritarianism with capitalist development.<br /> The old belief that market capitalism would inevitably lead to more freedom is now under question. Chinese nationalism helps shape unilateral nationalist responses with the US responding to China without reference to other democracies. The EU cannot find one voice. Japan is silent. Russia would like to have Chinese economic development and Chinese political authoritarianism as Moscow de-aligns itself from a European future.<br /> All that is needed is a flash point - Uighurs, Taiwan, Indian frontiers, north Korea, oil fields in seas close to China - and China decides to use military force in a major way and faces a response. At that point the world starts to close markets and take other action.<br /> As with Japan in the 1930s a cornered China that wants access to western markets but refuses the multilateral obligations of being part of an integrated global geo-eco-market-rule of law world system can be very dangerous.<br /> Meanwhile there are 300 million Chinese over 60 without adequate incomes or social and health care cover. China is getting old and rich at the same time. But Chinese wealth is not being used to build more fairness or to bind in all Chinese. Is this sustainable indefinitely? <br /> Do we have too many China boosters like Martin Jacques or Mark Leonard who are like those writing 'Japan as No 1' books three decades ago? We need more Bill Emmots who have sharper eyes and ears to explore what may be going awry in China.<br />Denis MacShane MPDenis MacShane MPnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27932062.post-41969434148616856912010-01-22T19:57:13.558+00:002010-01-22T19:57:13.558+00:00Ever time I think of China, I am reminded by an in...Ever time I think of China, I am reminded by an interview conducted by 60 minutes where they ask the current head of the CIA, "What keeps you up at night?" His response was not Bin Laden, it was China. <br /><br />While the West is busy rebuilding itself, China will continue to become the next super power.<br /><br />Now that keeps me up at night too.Toronto Mortgage Brokerhttp://www.torontomortgagegroup.comnoreply@blogger.com