I agree the anti-Chinese hysteria in Washington is way overblown. And yet, from a European perspective, there is an unsettling aspect which you didn't mention: That's the constantly re-affirmed friendship with Russia. Unlike China, Russia has clearly stated its intention to conquer neighbouring countries and re-establish its former empire by force. That's a real existential threat to Europe, nothing imagined. A Russian-Chinese alliance is a nightmare for European democracies. And as long as China continues its support for the Kremlin's aggression, that will always remain an obstacle to better relations with Europe, in spite of all frustration with Mr. Trump and his antics. I am afraid neither the Chinese leadership nor ordinary Chinese really understand the seriousness of this matter.
The best answer to the claim that "China wants to replace the US" is that no nation in its right mind would want to replace the US. That overbearing hegemony and arrogance makes the US hated not just among its self-created "adversaries" but even among the peoples of allied nations. There is nothing to suggest that China would want to follow the US down that path.
If peaceful cooperation is the message that China is consistently sending to its own people and to the outside world, then, as the article suggests, it becomes a solidly established truth: "that narrative becomes a constraint as well as a message: it shapes expectations and raises the political cost of visibly contradicting it later". That quote perfectly expresses a fundamental truth of politics and of human psychology. Every expression or repetition of a moral principle gives it added weight. Added to that, we have seen much evidence of duplicity from the US in world affairs, but not from China. Whether we not we agree with Chinese policies, we have no reason to distrust China's word.
I don’t think it’s much about what the CPC wants the Chinese people to believe, it more the CPC believes non-hegemony is the right policy and telling its people what they believe is the right policy. We want to look at the world objectively, and the CPC is helping us (including those outside China) to do that. It’s not that the CPC is acting strategically and trying to manipulate public opinion.
I agree the anti-Chinese hysteria in Washington is way overblown. And yet, from a European perspective, there is an unsettling aspect which you didn't mention: That's the constantly re-affirmed friendship with Russia. Unlike China, Russia has clearly stated its intention to conquer neighbouring countries and re-establish its former empire by force. That's a real existential threat to Europe, nothing imagined. A Russian-Chinese alliance is a nightmare for European democracies. And as long as China continues its support for the Kremlin's aggression, that will always remain an obstacle to better relations with Europe, in spite of all frustration with Mr. Trump and his antics. I am afraid neither the Chinese leadership nor ordinary Chinese really understand the seriousness of this matter.
The best answer to the claim that "China wants to replace the US" is that no nation in its right mind would want to replace the US. That overbearing hegemony and arrogance makes the US hated not just among its self-created "adversaries" but even among the peoples of allied nations. There is nothing to suggest that China would want to follow the US down that path.
If peaceful cooperation is the message that China is consistently sending to its own people and to the outside world, then, as the article suggests, it becomes a solidly established truth: "that narrative becomes a constraint as well as a message: it shapes expectations and raises the political cost of visibly contradicting it later". That quote perfectly expresses a fundamental truth of politics and of human psychology. Every expression or repetition of a moral principle gives it added weight. Added to that, we have seen much evidence of duplicity from the US in world affairs, but not from China. Whether we not we agree with Chinese policies, we have no reason to distrust China's word.
I don’t think it’s much about what the CPC wants the Chinese people to believe, it more the CPC believes non-hegemony is the right policy and telling its people what they believe is the right policy. We want to look at the world objectively, and the CPC is helping us (including those outside China) to do that. It’s not that the CPC is acting strategically and trying to manipulate public opinion.