China vs. U.S.

I think this chapter was quite one-sided and harsh toward to the U.S. But, I also haven’t agreed much with our choices in regard to foreign policy. I remember tweeting the Presidential Debate, and both candidates kept saying how they are going to go after the bad guys and make sure that the U.S. is a strong global power. Romney at one point said that he didn’t see our influence growing and that he sees the Middle East as a rising tide of chaos. Both candidates said they wanted to promote freedom. At the same time though, we like to be the police of other countries. This attitude is demeaning and patronizing. It is very inward thinking.

Therefore in this light, I agree with Mahbubani when he says the political planning in the U.S. is for four years or the next presidential cycle, whereas the Chinese make long-term plans, 50+ years down the road. It does concern me though, how China was the country that helped the U.S. gain the UN resolution, making the invasion of Iraq legal…

The U.S. seems to always have short-term self-interest in mind when it comes to agreements and trade. I think we do put too many restrictions and stipulations that it causes the opposite of economic sovereignty for countries. So, in this regard, we should be more like China and really look out for other countries’ interests. However, I think China is too soft in this regard by not demanding environmental policies and human rights.

However, if China doesn’t want to be a superpower and seek global interdependence, then why are they choosing to become so powerful and influential? Like Mahbubani said, China is a closed society with an open mind. Granted I don’t know much about the life of a typical Chinese, but I feel that China should focus on taking care of their own people in terms of freedoms and pollution more than geopolitical influence. Also, what about China’s control over Tibet?