Not only in China do people know that some are more equal than others. Among the ritualized privileges of Beijing's rulers is the privilege of using Chinese characters for numbers in their writings. One who rebelled against this was the Marxist polymath and science councilor Yu Guangyuan, one of the theorists who developed the concept of the "socialist market economy".
By Redaktion Table
The narrative of China's inevitable rise is nurtured in both West and East. China seems to be rushing from victory to victory. Economic and political challenges such as overcapacity, bubbles, and the "demographic bomb" often fall by the wayside. Yet China's rise as a high-income country is anything but certain.
By Redaktion Table
Central concepts of international relations, such as freedom, democracy, or multilateralism, can be found equally in European and Chinese discourses. Yet the same words often conceal very different concepts in liberal democracies and China.
By Redaktion Table
The meeting between the US and China in Alaska did not deliver much substance. The approaches of the two interlocutors were too contrasting. China's goal is to ensure that its political model gets a permanent and uncontested seat at a table dominated by liberal democracies. Possible sanctions do not phase Beijing.
By Redaktion Table
How free, full of hope, and carefree the 80s were in China. That's how many Chinese in their fifties and sixties think. The film "Hi, Mom" has triggered a wave of nostalgia. It is a box office hit – and also an image of the times that reflects the nationalistic present, which is overrun by propaganda and performance drills.
By Redaktion Table
Joe Biden should roll back the tariffs Donald Trump imposed on China. They are hurting US workers and companies and have failed to bring down the overall US trade deficit. However, Biden should persuade China to do something in return, for example, in the climate sector.
By Redaktion Table
Writing contextlessly in a children's book that COVID-19 comes from China is dangerous. Because children don't think geopolitically. Children of Asian descent will distance themselves from their roots in order not to become victims of bullying. And German-born children will blame Asian-born children for the pandemic. Such dehumanizations continue into adulthood and reinforce the feeling of exclusion among the Asian population in Germany.
By Redaktion Table
Whether Mercedes, Dolce Gabbana, Ronald Reagan, or the K-pop stars of BTS – they have all been accused by Beijing of "hurting the feelings of the Chinese people". The accusation has become a popular political slogan and is used by Beijing to interfere in foreign affairs. However, those who hurt feelings can just as quickly become "time-honored friends of the Chinese people". Three state or business visits to Beijing are enough if one spares oneself vociferous criticism, as Angela Merkel's example proves.
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Chinese leaders are most likely already aware of the probable international consequences of pursuing an ultra-repressive course in Hong Kong. But by prosecuting 47 pro-democracy activists, President Xi Jinping is throwing down the gauntlet to a new US administration and its allies – and may be overplaying his hand.
By Redaktion Table
China is not only a partner and economic competitor for Germany but also a systemic rival. This means that global challenges will also have to be solved jointly with China in the future. But no decoupling from China also means a level playing field and stricter reciprocity. Europe must not allow itself to be divided and, in coordination with the US, should find a common China policy.
By Redaktion Table
