China News Thread
- Thread starter KYli
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The professor and SCMP need to have a reality check. Don't hide in your office and talk only with your liberal western friends. Look outside the world, you would see that the world especially Western media and many Westerners are very hostile toward China no matter what. Bending your knee and kowtow and bow to them would not stop them from attacking you.
"Think that the West is evil"
It seems to me that Gen Z are based af
Can't wait for them to grow up and take leadership positions. Even with Xi's hard work there are still plenty of old fossils (some officials, business, academia) who are still drinking the West's kool aid.
Can't grow up fast enough to take those positions
I looked into Professor Yan and he's written a couple of books about the China-U.S. challenges that's unfolding similar to how he's described the relationship was supposed to occur.
We're not able to read what he said or even read the speech he made in it's entirety and context so that we can fairly and accurately depict or interpret what the Professor meant or means to convey.
SCMP as a western product or western leaning publication isn't immune to the sensationalist headlines or even taking any statements out of context in order to try and fit a certain narrative a journalist/propagandist is trying to push to it's captive/intended audience. And I wouldn't be remiss to note that the target audience for this article is the westerner or western leaning centric people. Most of which aren't residing in the mainland but are in H.K. and elsewhere.
In my view, again without knowing the full context of the Professor's speech/statement he's maybe trying to ensure that China's youth aren't going to be resting on their laurels by assuming that the west will always be this dysfunctional and that China's ascent isn't guaranteed therefore it's essential that Chinese people in general not crown themselves victorious when the battle has only just begun. It's fine to be proud and take pride in China's accomplishment but it would be terribly foolish to assume that it'll be smooth sailing from here on out....Manifest Destiny Chinese version isn't what the country and the youth needs.
As a matter of fact, one of the 2 books he wrote (that am aware of) back in 2019 is this book that I still have to find the time and the book to read -- I can't seem to find the book online for download and the physical copy of the book sells for $169.00 + tax CAD
This book predicts possible international changes that may occur between 2013 and 2023. It forecasts that China will become a global superpower no later than 2023, and that a bipolar world will be formed with a strategic rivalry between China and the US. China may also further reduce the disparity in capability with the US, while other major powers will witness an enlarged capability gap with both China and the US. Therefore, this bipolarization will drive the world center to shift from Europe to East Asia. In East Asia, Japan will become a lesser state, North Korea will keep its nuclear arsenal, but stop nuclear tests, and the maritime disputes in South China Sea will no longer the major problem to ASEAN countries by 2023. In Europe, Germany will dominate the EU while it is decentralized, the UK will withdraw from the EU, and Russia will deteriorate dramatically under Putin's rule. Globalization will also worsen polarization at both domestic and international levels, and India will lag behind China even further, the Middle East will suffer from the rivalry among regional powers, and Africa will be further marginalized.
I don't want to trivialize this person's important contribution to China's International Relations work and theory, not to mention understanding the U.S. and the west dilemma and challenges for China. While it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know, feel, and understand the current rivalry between China - U.S. that doesn't automatically means people like Professor Yan should be readily dismiss because he's not being ascerbic with his wit and thoughts against the west. The discourse and discussion about China's strategic dilemma with the west must not be reduced into pedestrian level or gutter level talk.
This book predicts possible international changes that may occur between 2013 and 2023. It forecasts that China will become a global superpower no later than 2023, and that a bipolar world will be formed with a strategic rivalry between China and the US. China may also further reduce the disparity in capability with the US, while other major powers will witness an enlarged capability gap with both China and the US. Therefore, this bipolarization will drive the world center to shift from Europe to East Asia. In East Asia, Japan will become a lesser state, North Korea will keep its nuclear arsenal, but stop nuclear tests, and the maritime disputes in South China Sea will no longer the major problem to ASEAN countries by 2023. In Europe, Germany will dominate the EU while it is decentralized, the UK will withdraw from the EU, and Russia will deteriorate dramatically under Putin's rule. Globalization will also worsen polarization at both domestic and international levels, and India will lag behind China even further, the Middle East will suffer from the rivalry among regional powers, and Africa will be further marginalized.
I don't want to trivialize this person's important contribution to China's International Relations work and theory, not to mention understanding the U.S. and the west dilemma and challenges for China. While it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know, feel, and understand the current rivalry between China - U.S. that doesn't automatically means people like Professor Yan should be readily dismiss because he's not being ascerbic with his wit and thoughts against the west. The discourse and discussion about China's strategic dilemma with the west must not be reduced into pedestrian level or gutter level talk.
I cannot find Yan's own words. Having read these two Chinese reports on his speech, I find his concerns reasonable.
On the Chinese internet, there are indeed influencers and so-called opinion leaders "selling" patriotism for traffic and attention. As an educator first and foremost, Yan puts his focus in his speech on how to help the yourth generations form a balanced view about the world.
The SCMP article on the other hand, did not convey Yan's view accurately. The writer exaggerated Yan's warning so he can use the larger part of his writing to tag "nationalism" and "conspiracy theories" on Chinese youth at large. Then unsurprisingly, he blamed it on CPC for not censor "fake international news".
Yet the same idiot doesn't see the irony in his dumb reporting making it seem like that the majority of the Chinese youth are all peddlers and suckers for "conspiracy theories" ( without elaborating just what those conspiracies are ) while the majority of people in the U.S. are buying into the anti-covid 19 hysteria, the earth is flat movement, Trump was cheated etc...most of the negative shit being flung at China nowadays are simply projections of the failing west being twisted mostly by Wang Jingweis disciples, Hanjians and western loving sycophants.
I understand why Yan is saying what he is saying. SCMP has distorted his words somewhat. Hyper nationalism and overconfidence is not good for the nation. However, I think he is wrong to say that these kids don't have enough accessed to outside world and have misconception of geopolitical world order.
It isn't that the Chinese opinion leaders that misled these youngsters. It is the constant slander from the West that awaken these kids. After encountering the outside world through VPN or through visiting the West as a tourist or as a student, these kids find out that the Hollywood movies and what teachers told them about the West and the US is not true. Instead, they find out that the Westerners have been fed with anti-China propaganda and hatred every day. And MSM wouldn't allow anything positive about China to be said or you would get ostracized.
The issue for Professor Yan is that he still thinks the West can be reasoned with. He sees nationalism and overconfidence as a threat but didn't notice defeatism and worshiping the West is still widespread among Chinese population. The West especially the US population has been united through propaganda to demonize and dehumanize China and Chinese. But Chinese still is fighting among themselves as many still think appeasing the West is the way forward.
The rivalry and struggle between China and the US would continue for decades to come. The stronger one would prevail not the reasonable one would prevail. It just has been a few years after the US arrested Meng and tried to destroy Huawei but just look at how many Apple iphones have been sold in China and how many people trying to slander Huawei. Just look at Sam's Club, its business in China is still doing very well. Just look at all those worshiped the Western drugs and vaccines as some kind of saviors even though they got disappointed every time. Just look at how many people are trying to justified the US handling of the covid and demonizing China's zero tolerance policy. I would say nationalism isn't the greatest threat to China at the moment. The threat is some people trying to use nationalism to drive a wedge between people. These false flaggers should be reined in.
It isn't that the Chinese opinion leaders that misled these youngsters. It is the constant slander from the West that awaken these kids. After encountering the outside world through VPN or through visiting the West as a tourist or as a student, these kids find out that the Hollywood movies and what teachers told them about the West and the US is not true. Instead, they find out that the Westerners have been fed with anti-China propaganda and hatred every day. And MSM wouldn't allow anything positive about China to be said or you would get ostracized.
The issue for Professor Yan is that he still thinks the West can be reasoned with. He sees nationalism and overconfidence as a threat but didn't notice defeatism and worshiping the West is still widespread among Chinese population. The West especially the US population has been united through propaganda to demonize and dehumanize China and Chinese. But Chinese still is fighting among themselves as many still think appeasing the West is the way forward.
The rivalry and struggle between China and the US would continue for decades to come. The stronger one would prevail not the reasonable one would prevail. It just has been a few years after the US arrested Meng and tried to destroy Huawei but just look at how many Apple iphones have been sold in China and how many people trying to slander Huawei. Just look at Sam's Club, its business in China is still doing very well. Just look at all those worshiped the Western drugs and vaccines as some kind of saviors even though they got disappointed every time. Just look at how many people are trying to justified the US handling of the covid and demonizing China's zero tolerance policy. I would say nationalism isn't the greatest threat to China at the moment. The threat is some people trying to use nationalism to drive a wedge between people. These false flaggers should be reined in.
I feel Prof Yan is one of those Chinese academics that are sort of acceptable to the West, because he doesn't go head along to rebut Western narratives. But I don't think he has much influence nowadays within China, compared to Zhang Weiwei. Zhang is given a platform to air his view (together with those who hold similar views) in the weekly program, This is China which is being broadcast by Dragon TV. Zhang view is that Chinese people need be confident and not shy away from providing their narrative that are different from the West. He often praised the gen z, unlike the earlier generations who were overawed by the West. Zhang's 'allies' would be Eric Li, Chen Ping, Jin Canrong among others.
this one is US $ 68 + $ 15 shipping
Besides, paperback on Cambridge's site is 25 pounds + shipping