Western complacency frames China as merely catching up, causing persistent underestimation of its rise by assuming it must follow or fail by Western norms.
Why the West Cannot Decide What China Is The West’s long-standing effort to reshape China reflects a basic misreading of China’s developmental trajectory and reform logic. For decades, Western policymakers, academics, and elites have viewed China not as a civilizational peer pursuing its own path, but as an incomplete or delayed version of the West—one … Read more
Throughout history, human societies have relied on myths, narratives, and symbolic stories to build shared beliefs, inspire ambitions, and explain historical events. These stories often simplify complex realities, overstate the contributions of individuals or nations, and overlook structural, social, or economic factors. What matters in these myths is not always their factual accuracy, but the … Read more
Britain’s industrialization occurred well before the advent of full democracy, a historical pattern with significant implications for today’s developing countries—especially China—and one that closely echoes Lee Kuan Yew’s economic-first approach to nation-building. Drawing on insights from Yi Wen (The Making of an Economic Superpower, 2016) and Ha-Joon Chang (Bad Samaritans, 2007; Kicking Away the Ladder, … Read more
The lack of a Marshall-style reconstruction program for China after World War II was neither accidental nor simply the result of Kuomintang (KMT) corruption or administrative failure. Rather, it reflected deliberate strategic choices shaped by U.S. priorities, racialized perceptions, fears of Chinese nationalism, and the short-term logic that guided early Cold War policymaking. From Washington’s … Read more
Introduction: From World Factory to Technology Exporter Over the last forty years, China’s position in the global automotive industry has experienced a profound transformation. Once primarily a recipient of foreign technology in exchange for market access, China has emerged as the world’s leading hub for new energy vehicle (NEV) innovation. Today, it exports not only … Read more
I. The Provocation: Generational Tensions in the Immigrant Experience The provocation at the heart of this generational conflict between first- and second-generation Chinese Americans is not a rejection of immigration itself, but a pointed critique of the assumptions that have underpinned the immigrant journey. Second-generation Chinese Americans, often referred to as ABCs (American-born Chinese), argue … Read more
I. Gratitude or Reciprocity? Reframing the Meaning of China’s WTO Accession At the heart of debates over China’s rise lies a fundamental question: should China’s integration into the global economy be understood in terms of gratitude and patronage, or as the outcome of mutual interest among sovereign actors? The assertion that China “owes” its development … Read more
China’s rise is often framed in Western discourse not as a normal phase of development, but as a systemic disruption. Concepts like “rebalancing” are presented as neutral, technical responses—addressing trade deficits, market distortions, supply-chain vulnerabilities, or national security concerns. Yet, a closer examination reveals that such narratives function less as economic diagnoses and more as … Read more
I. Trigger Event: The Tom Cotton–Shou Zi Chew Hearing 1. What Happened During a congressional hearing in February 2024, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton repeatedly pressed TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew with questions centered on Chew’s personal background rather than the company’s operations. Cotton fixated on Chew’s nationality, asking whether he had ever applied for Chinese … Read more
I. The Central Paradox of Global University Rankings Global university rankings are commonly presented as neutral, technical instruments designed to measure academic excellence. In reality, they operate as culturally and politically embedded systems, shaped by language dominance, commercial incentives, and historical power structures. Far from being objective scorecards, these rankings privilege particular academic traditions—most notably … Read more