The Great Convergence by Kishore Mahbubani

Author:Kishore Mahbubani [Mahbubani, Kishore]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Published: 2013-01-11T16:00:00+00:00

I have quoted this exchange at some length as many in the West will be surprised to learn of such open discussion. Mitt Romney captured well the American perception in his Wall Street Journal article of February 16, 2012, where he said, “A nation that represses its own people cannot ultimately be a trusted partner in an international system based on economic and political freedom.”16 He added, “We should not fail to recognize that a China that is a prosperous tyranny will increasingly pose problems for us, for its neighbors, and for the entire world.”17 Romney may have expressed his views more directly and bluntly than most other American leaders, but there is no doubt he represents much of the American establishment: China is a tyranny that cannot last and cannot work in the long term.

China and America need to avoid incautious rhetoric over tyranny or stability. There is no doubt that the Chinese government becomes very aggravated whenever America raises human rights issues. Yet it has also learned to manage these instances as “irritations,” not threats. At the same time, America should also consider whether it is wise to push for political change. On the one hand, if, indeed, China is a political tyranny, it will eventually perform badly and self-destruct. On the other, America should pause and ask what a more “democratic” government might do at home, in the region, and in the world at large. A more democratic government in China could be more populist and more nationalistic. To get a glimpse of what a more nationalist voice in China would sound like, we should read the editorials and articles in the Global Times. Its point of view reflects a strong stream within the Chinese body politic. If it became the dominant voice in China, it is not clear that China would behave in as restrained a fashion as it has in recent years. Contrary to Romney’s observation, the sudden emergence of a more democratic China could pose even more problems for the region and for the world.

Nevertheless, a more democratic China will eventually emerge. The ultimate political destination for China is not in doubt. It will be an unavoidable choice, especially once China has developed the largest middle class in the world. The only question is whether America or any other power will help by interfering in China’s domestic processes. The temptation to interfere is strong in America. A wiser course is to allow China to develop at its own pace. By not crossing the red line in this area, America would also help to preserve geopolitical stability.

Both the leaders of America and of China were reminded of the fragili-ties of the Chinese political system when the police chief of Chongqing, Wang Lijun, suddenly took refuge in the American Consulate of Chengdu on February 6, 2012. Wang was basically trying to get out of the clutches of his boss, then-rising political star Bo Xilai. He feared for his life. If this incident had not been carefully handled, relations between America and China could have been badly damaged.

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