Tag Archives: U.S. Election 2012

Xi Jinping thumbs nose at US anti-China populism

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Xi Jinping

In written answers to questions from the Washington Post editorial board, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, who is expected to take power as Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party in November, implies that anti-China economic rhetoric is based in ignorance.

As economic globalization gathers momentum, China and the United States have become highly interdependent economically. Such economic relations would not enjoy sustained, rapid growth if they were not based on mutual benefit or if they failed to deliver great benefits to the United States. The Americans who know the real picture of China-U.S. economic relations, including those in the business community, will echo this point.

This to me was the most pointed of the comments the Post published. It also so happens that I largely agree.

Image credit: Creative Commons photo via nznationalparty on Flickr.

Huntsman and fear of China – 'the new expat message'?

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Creative Commons photo by saucy_pan

Noted, from ChinaSolved (emphasis mine):

When Huntsman says, “America First” he means “and not China”.

His message is that he’s seen what can happen if the global status quo doesn’t shift – and that this is scary to the US.  Moreover, he’s in a position to do something about it.  He has seen the enemy – or at least the rival – and it’s China.

This is the new expat message.  In the 2000s,  China pros said “I can open that China opportunity”.  In the coming decade, their  line will be, “I can help you keep the Chinese at bay.”

I don’t have time to evaluate this, but such a shift would be interesting, if unsettling. My initial sense is that there have always been “China experts” who said they would defend the United States and others “against” China. The difference now may be that those people are being drawn from the ranks of individuals who actually speak Chinese and have actually been there.

This kind of stance is only possible if you have a very dark strategic view or if you never spent enough time speaking with people to lose the fear narrative. Expat enclaves can only encourage this us–them viewpoint.