Rejoining China

[Henry C.K. Liu]

China is hoping that the principle of "one country, two systems" can
solve
some of the obvious contradictions of a large multi-ethnic/cultural
political
entity.
Remember, nationalism, born after the French revolution, is a Western
import
to Asian.  Prior to that, Asia was organized with tribalism under a
Chinese
feudal culture in Asia. Every Chinese government adopted Chinese
political
culture and adminstrative practices, the wway the US has been pushing
for
America values of democrative and freedom worldwide.
The idea of a Chinese empire is of course not desirable nor operative.
The
hope is some kind of pan-Sino organization of nations that can jointly
develop
a common interest and cultural heritage while protecting each nation's
separate identity and "characteristics" - a favorite Chinese political
term
for skirting dogmatic inflexibilities.
Even at the height of dynastic China, imperialism was never the policy. 
The
Chinese world order (empire was a Western term imposed by Western
historians)
always favored the periphery at the expense of the center, the opposite
of
imperialism.  And border wars were general defensive war bys China
against
neighboring invaders who sought China's material and economic rishes by
force.  Thus China have learn the lesson of telling its neighbors: don
come,
we bring the riches to you where you are.
The famous historical strategy over Vietnam involved the capture and
subsequent unconditional release of the Vietnam chieftain seven times,
until
the Vietamese voluntarily agreed to a tributary relationship with China
- a
relationship marked by year round economic assistance from China in
return for
the symbolic ritual of annual tributes of indigenous treasures, freely
given
as a matter of local pride.
China had learned century ago that occupation of distant lands cannot
hold, as
in Korea.
The evolution of the British Empire into the British Commonwealth and
subsequently into the Commonwealth of Nations was also Chinese in
concept.
The Chinese world order is very different from the Roman model of
empire,
which the West has been dreaming of restoring for 2 millenia.
The Chinese leadership is constantly going through self criticism on the
failure of its policies on ethnic minorities.
To the extend that separatist movements can clean themselves from being
exploited by Western imperialism, it would be easier for China to adopt
more
liberal and generous ethnic policies.
The long term prospects are good that an Asian commonwealth based on
Chinese
culture can emrge in the 2st1 century, that would include Japan.

Henry C.K. Liu

Jim Monaghan wrote:


> I am a bit dubious that wanting the benefits of an advance civilisation
> automatically means union.
> But do you think that all territories formally Chinese will/want to rejoin
> Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, part of
> Oh I forgot Korea
> Alos could you expand on the guarantees on national rights which need to
> be strenghtened. I think you mentioned something on these lines
> Are there to be rights for the different spoken forms of Chinese,
> Cantonese etc as distinct to Mandarin
> Taiwan is basically Chinese though there are remnants of an original
> popualtion of which I know little
> Fraternally
> Jim Monaghan