China dreaming
To think of China as one entity is like thinking of the European continent as a permanent territory of the Roman empire ("The games big powers play," Aug. 18, page 8).
In the past 100 years, control of China has changed hands at least four times. From the Qing Dynasty to the KMT, to the warlords, to the KMT again, then the communists, with some Japanese occupation in between. To say the communists will last 100 years in China is taken for granted.
As for the past 1,000 years, China has conveniently considered all the "foreigners" who invaded or conquered China as "Chinese." They even want to include Pacific Islanders, such as Taiwanese, as "Chinese," even though they were only associated with China for a brief few decades over thousands of years of history.
Some people think if you are 1 percent black you are black. Chinese think if you are 1 percent Chinese you are Chinese, like it or not. The only major ethnic groups in the world not included are perhaps white Caucasian and African.
Out of the five major ethnic groups China claims, Mongolians have secured independence and those living in Islamic East Turkestan and Tibet are kept in China by force. Sadly, the US has recently been collaborating with the Chinese to keep these ethnic groups suppressed.
The unprecedented advances in ideology and technology in the 20th century are behind the formation of the big powers. Without these catalysts, the US would not be the superpower it is today. Knowing that, what is a bankrupt ideology such as communism doing playing a big-power game?
China's adventurism in the Taiwan Strait can only hasten its own demise, rather than boost its power, imaginary or real. Its flimsy ethnic and imperial claims to Taiwan are as ridiculous as the old Chinese claim of the emperor "son of heaven," foreign or domestic, having the right to conquer and "unite" the country. Were it not for its crony in Taiwan, the KMT, this claim would be worth nothing.
As for many developing countries, the best course for China is moderation. Balance between social welfare and capitalism is the key. Modern powers have already succeeded in this. The US has done this, even the inventor of communism, the Germans, have attained this balance. Can China be the exception?
China will have to change. It will have to share power internally, not just among party members but among the masses. It will also have to consider democracy. For now, all the powers in the world, including France and the US, are using Taiwan to gain leverage over China. Why complain about Taiwan's purchases of weapons?
As the saying goes, democracies never go to war against each other. If China learns that and adopts democracy, perhaps it will become a power to be reckoned with. Why not? To do otherwise would be to its detriment and would ensure that China's dreams of becoming a great power will remain just dreams.
Chen Ming-chung
Chicago
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