Home › Forums › Short Online Seminars › Contemporary China, Fall 2018 › session #5 - november 6 (china and the world)
Hi Folks,
Please be sure to vote ahead of our session on Tuesday, Nov. 6. In fact, China-US trade tensions are among the minor issues that will drive people to the polls.
First - a discussion forum assignment. Find a recent news article about China's ties with any country other than the U.S. (e.g., Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Mexico). Post about it. Provide a citation (author, title, publication title, date), share a link, and write a 50-100 word summary of the article. Does the article suggest that relations between China and country X are good? Bad? (If you can read Spanish or other languages, please feel free to find an article in that language. Our aim is to understand how people in other places see China and how Chinese see those places.)
Readings for the session:
China and the United States
These four articles offer very different assessments of the US-China relationship. It's noteworthy that Jeff Bader, Kent Campbell, and Eli Ratner all worked together in the Obama administration. Read two of the following America-centric looks (Wang Jisi provides a Chinese view).
Bader, How Xi Jinping Sees the World and Why, Brookings, 2016.
Campbell and Ratner, "The China Reckoning: How Beijing Defied American Expectations," Foreign Affairs, v97n2 (March/April 2018).
Wang Jisi, Stapleton Roy et al, "Did America Get China Wrong?," Foreign Affairs, v97n4 (July/August 2018).
Shambaugh, "The Coming Chinese Crack-up," Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2015.
Read one of the following to get a sense of current views of the Chinese state toward the US.
Global Times on America, 2018
Cai, China's leaders get filtered advice, South China Morning Post, 2018
Look at this simple collection of views (from the time of Michelle Obama's trip to China in 2014): http://graphics.wsj.com/lists/camerica0320
How might you use collections such as these with your students? Can you find other such collections of photos and short opinion summaries? Could you also use photo collections such as this one about Michelle Obama's visit to discuss the roles of non-elected individuals in US-China relations?
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/first-lady-michelle-obama-in-china/
How about the role of pop culture and sports figures?
China and the World
Belt and Road
Read one of these three (all attached below):
Brown, Kerry, "The Belt and Road: Security Dimensions," Asia Europe Journal, v16: 213-222, April 6, 2018.
"China's Belt and Road Plans are to be Welcomed and Worried About," July 26, 2018.
Kynge, James and others, Financial Times special report on the Belt and Road Initiative, September 25, 2018
Please find a recent news article about the belt and road initiative. Read it, provide a citation for it (author, title, publication title, date), share a link to it, and write a short (50-100 word) summary of it. Does the article seem to offer a positive or a negative assessment of whatever aspect of the BRI it discusses.
China and Africa
Quartz has devoted considerable energy to covering China in Africa. Please look through and read one of the articles at:
https://qz.com/on/china-in-africa/
Read one of the following policy briefs from the China Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins SAIS. They are available below:
Brautigam, 2018 - Chinese geese in Africa
Eom, 2017 - Data comparing the US and China in Africa
Chen, 2018 - African ambitions for China's Belt and Road Initiative
Lu, 2017 - Chinese immigrants to Zambia
Video:
As you watch, think about how you might use the ideas or the images in these videos with your students. Please discuss at least one of the videos in your posts to the discussion forum.
Watch one or more of the following lectures:
Brautigam, "Will Africa Feed China?," 2016 (26 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71jDW3ha6Qc
French, "How Chinese Migrants are Building a New Empire in Africa," 2014 (83 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0jX0N0FrkY
Shambaugh, "China Goes Global," 2013 (52 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aE66iIUi9U
Watch one or more of the following news reports:
Financial Times, "China and Japan Compete in Africa," 2016 (6 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XviYYEGS2C8
Financial Times, "China Booming Trade Tests Africa's Ports," 2012 (5 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da7vp1fCym8
CNBC Africa, "Closing the Gap: Understanding China-South Africa Ties," 2018 (13 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P3hyISEHHs
CGTN Africa, "Chinese Infrastructure Links African Countries," 2017 (4 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQfh0HGzC6g
CGTN Africa, "Shared Dreams," 2018 (31 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZvS6hOvV3A
Watch one or more of these news report about China, Southeast Asia, and Australia:
Channel News Asia, "What are China's Plans for the Belt and Road Initiative in ASEAN," (48 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw6SLjeywtI
Channel News Asia, "How is China's New Silk Road Transforming Vietnam and Laos?," (48 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2mUa8VavDc
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, "China Rising: The Challenges for Australia as China and the US Struggle for Supremacy in Asia," 2016 (42 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1W5NchTZjg&list=PLn2RjxYNpcayaQ5EBE9pp2axA418qJNqP&index=38&t=0s
Optional:
Check out the China in Africa podcast: https://chinaafricaproject.com/ and the Weekly Briefing from the Centre for Chinese Studies at Stellenbosch University http://www0.sun.ac.za/ccs/?cat=12
The USC U.S.-China Institute website and YouTube channel have many videos about US-China relations, including depictions of China in American films, military issues, and a lot more. Please visit and subscribe (then our videos will pop up automatically for you): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAyGWTTGpsfDz5T0_crjh4w
Lecture 8: U.S.-China Relations
Lecture 9: Global China
What do you think of the U.S.-China relationship? The America-China relationship is pretty good, especially because their economies are so intertwined. America is a big client of China's, and many Chinese products are exported to America.
What misconceptions do you think Americans have about China? There are many areas where China isn't well-developed, but Americans hope that China will handle everything well in one step. America itself has been through the many struggles—including the black liberation movement. Thus China should be understood and given a chance to develop over time.
On Oct. 11, 2018, Bloomberg published an article entitled "China's view of Japan improves - but the feeling is hardly mutua. <https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/China-s-view-of-Japan-improves-but-the-feeling-13300074.php>
This article briefs tells Chinese and Japanese's views on each other and why. An opion poll published by Genron NPO showed that 42% of Chinese had positive image of Japan because of its high standard of living, well-mannered cultures and beautiful environment, but they think Japan is the most serious military threat to China. On the other hand, Japanese are concerned about Chinese military expansion, and they think that the dispute over the East China Sea Islands is the biggest reason for their negative impression of China. Overall, the China-Japan relationship is the worst since World War II.
This article suggests that the China-Japan relation is not so good now, compounding by the worsening China-US relations. Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, realize the situation and the urge to have dialogue with Beijing to improve the relations. It's a good practice to ask students to research and read articles about China from various perspectives and understand the relations among US, China and other countries. The students may have a global view of complex international relations and hopefully will take roles to improve them.
This lecture covers lots of US-China relation issues, including economics, security, envrironment, human rights, media, trade, etc. It's quite informative and insightful, prompting us to think about the positive and negative aspects the Sino-American relation.
It's interesting to note that US tends to export cultures to China, such as movies, whereas China exports goods to the U.S. Both Americans and Chinese visit each other's countries although there are more Chinese tourists in America than the counterparts in China. I believe that cultural exchange and international tourism enhances understanding and relations in the world. Both countries and the world will suffer from a trade war.
China has emerged the 2nd largest economy Deng Xiaoping launched the major economic reform in China. Deng was the most important figure in the recent half century as stated in the lecture. He spearheaded capitalism in China and made some special economic zones as testing areas of the 1st Chinese capitalism, which included Shenzhen. Young Chinese people embraced his capitalism notion and left their hometowns to migrate to Shenzhen and other special economic zones, which became the wealthiest cities in China. During Deng's tenure, Chinese capitalists enjoyed policies that encouraged them to get rich first as the country aimed to get rid of the poverty. Deng also helped establish US-China diplomatic relations. He encouraged Chinese youth to go out and study abroad as he was a student in France when he was young. Since then, China has made remarkable progress in many areas, of course including economy. Deng was a living example illustrating that student exchanges, tourism exchanges and cutural exchanges make positive changes on a country and the world.
It's interesting to learn from the Lecture 8 that China has media control over social media like Facebook and Twitter while the state uses them as media tools. It's an exmaple showing the areas needing improvements. On the other hand, China wants to expand soft powers by exporting films, teaching Chinese language abroad and hosting Olympic Games, etc. These conflicting governmental behaviors may spur or hinder the country's growth. Deng Xiaoping initialed an "Open-Door" policy that contributed to China's rapid development and capitalization of certain economic zones in China. If current government makes some "screened" doors to let in limited information, will it slowed down the Chinese growth?
"'Say no to China': Anger Mounts in Zambia over Beijing's presence". Unknown author. News24.com, 9/23/2018 (they sourced from AFP global news). Accessed 11/5/2018. https://www.news24.com/Africa/News/say-no-to-china-anger-mounts-in-zambia-over-beijings-presence-20180923
This article begins by profiling a man by the name of James Lukuku, the leader of a small political party in the Zambian capitol of Lusaka. He is protesting China's increasing economic presence in Zambia. Mr. Lukuku believes that China is causing corurption in the country and will bring about an economic collapse. The article goes on to describe concerns over the vast amount of debt owed to China and the potential takeover, by China, of Zambia's major electric company. There is also reporting about feelings over Chinese managers in Zambian industry, and Chinese laborers displacing Zambians. Government officials are quoted defending their connections to China but the article focuses on the protesters and is generally negative regarding China and it's exploits in the country.
This is quite different from the lectures I watched about China's relationship with Africa. Both the Brautigam and the French lecture cite the positive aspects of China's relationships with various countries in Africa, citing the benefits they are providing to those countries by investing in their development. Mr. French goes so far as to say that China recognized how Africa was largely abandoned by the West and now they are developing and supporting a continent poised for economic growth and development. The news articles seem to be largely negative surrouding China's relations with coutnries in Africa but the reports of these firsthand witnesses paint an entirely difference picture of what China is doing in Africa and why.
China’s so called port investment spree in Europe is said to have some countries in the European Union scrambling for answers to what's next with China EU trade. According to the article China is already Europe’s largest importer much like the United States. The article attached is titled Chinese Firms Now Hold Stakes in a Dozen European Ports and outlines the growth of trade influence in Europe and all over the world. The article also discusses the company COSCO and its issues with human rights as well as the investment they have made in especially Greece. The Greek port has attempted to maintain oversight of the port but China maintains control of the operations of the port. Along with Greek ports other countries such as Belgium have recently opened ports where China has been the major investor.
"Chile to join China's Belt and Road initiative". Dave Sherwood. Reuters News Agency. 11/01/2018. Accessed 11/05/2018. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chile-china/chile-to-join-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-idUSKCN1N65YD
This is a brief article descirbing a recent decision by the Chilean government to opt into China's Belt and Road initiative and "deepen [it's] ecnonomic and political cooperation" with China. China is already Chile's top trading partner and this move further solidifies their relationship. This belies a trend of China's involvement in Latin America. China has become much more economically engaged with coutnries in Latin America-Chile, Brazil, and Argentina among them-since 2016 when President Donald Trump was elected.
The article is not positive or negative about the Belt and Road initiative, instead it paints this interaction as part of a broader aggression by the Chinese to infiltrate Latin America. The tone is mildly critical and the author takes the perspective that China is making a strategic move in countries that the United States is distsancing itself from and therefore capitalizing on America's skepticism and missed opportunities.
Based on some of the articles I have read in the past few weeks I would say that for the most part China at the moment has good relations with less developed countries (LDC). The less developed countries see Chinese investment in a positive light especially when it comes to infastructure. Countries like Panama and El Salvador have recently cut ties with Taiwan in an effort to attract more economic trade with China. There is the case however at a Greek port where some say the Chinese investors have too much power there. On the flip side it seems as thought at this time more developed countries like the United States are having some issues with China's rapid economic growth. Some leaders in the European Union are at odds with China as well. The perspective will really depend on the state of the countries economic situation.
How important is the relationship between China and United States?
I haven’t seen the movie yet, but according to the discussion, the relations between the two countries are paramount to both. China has the manpower, the consumers and wages are still lower than in the US. The other important topic in the discussion was the public opinion about the two countries. And some people in audience had the opportunity to convey their experiences for both countries. In order to minimize the negativism in both countries is to talk positive and with respect at each other. The opinion of most is that the relation between China and US should be better and it will be good for everyone.
With respect to family, the love-park in china is a good idea. People go there to find a spouse, not just to meet just a friend. And parents also get involve in that process, articulating their opinions about how they would like their son or daughter in-law should be. That reminded me about a friend from India. He told me that he was going to India to get married because his mother found him a wife. It is very important to see that still there are families keeping an old cultural tradition of finding a spouse for their sons and daughters.
How important is the relationship between China and United States?
I haven’t seen the movie yet, but according to the discussion, the relations between the two countries are paramount to both. China has the manpower, the consumers and wages are still lower than in the US. The other important topic in the discussion was the public opinion about the two countries. And some people in audience had the opportunity to convey their experiences for both countries. In order to minimize the negativism in both countries is to talk positive and with respect at each other. The opinion of most is that the relation between China and US should be better and it will be good for everyone.
With respect to family, the love-park in china is a good idea. People go there to find a spouse, not just to meet just a friend. And parents also get involve in that process, articulating their opinions about how they would like their son or daughter in-law should be. That reminded me about a friend from India. He told me that he was going to India to get married because his mother found him a wife. It is very important to see that still there are families keeping an old cultural tradition of finding a spouse for their sons and daughters.
When China announced its new Belt Road initiative (BI), reactions from across the globe were mixed. The BI aims to integrate China and Europe via the Middle East and Africa by building transportation infrastructure like roads, railways, etc. Some countries, eager to receive monetary aid from China, welcome the news.
But others, especially countries in the West, are wary and fear that the BI might be part of China’s larger plan to recreate a new world order, one where China displaces the United States as the new hegemon. I think the West’s fear of the plan is well-warranted. In my opinion, China is using BI as a mere tool to attain more influence in the region.
A major turning point in our modern history is China’s rapid ascent from underdeveloped country to economic powerhouse. Given China’s rags-to-riches story, it is not surprising that scholars want to explain what accounts for the country’s drastic transformation. One scholar Jeffrey Bader argues that Xi Jingping played a limited role in China' transformation to global power.
One possible reason for Bader’s tepid attitutde towards Xi Jinping may be XiJinping’s indifference to international norms (e.g. human rights). Bader, being an American, may have find Xi Jinping’s disregard for international norms off-putting. But as China becomes an increasingly more dominant global player, it will inevitably have the power to shape international norms. Over time, I wonder, how might international norms respond to Chinese pressure? What new international norms might come from China's influence?
Many of the Chinese individuals interviewed by the Wall Street Journal described the relationship between the United States and China as politically tense and one marked by distrust. A few had more positive remarks about the economic relationship between the two countries, even describing the relationship as "fair." Mr Wang, a doctor with this perspective, explained that the economic interdependence brings more benefits than drawbacks to the two countries. This resource would be good for teaching students to analyze point-of-view of different authors. I could ask students how the occupations and country of residence might influence the statements made by the Chinese people interviewed by the Wall Street Journal.