My Take | Is this the end of America’s sanctimonious ideology?
- If somehow all those ‘rules-based’ systems work overwhelmingly to the benefit of the US and its Western allies, the rest of the world may wonder why they should follow them
The latest meeting between presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden was covered all over the world. And yet, the Western media have been strangely silent about a key speech Xi gave before an audience of some 300 American business leaders in San Francisco, at the end of which they responded with a standing ovation.
If he had said the opposite, say, praising the superiority of the Chinese political system or economic model over America’s, it would have been front-page news everywhere. But he didn’t.
Instead, Xi said something very different: “Just as mutual respect is a basic code of behaviour for individuals, it is fundamental for China-US relations … We are proud of our choice, just as you are proud of yours. Our paths are different, but both are the choice by our peoples, and both lead to the realisation of the common values of humanity. They should be both respected.”
Who can argue with that? Of course, what Xi said was nothing new; Beijing has repeatedly said that it is not interested in fighting another cold war, or supplanting the dominant position of the US within the international system.
“China never bets against the United States, and never interferes in its internal affairs,” Xi continued in the same speech. “China has no intention to challenge the United States or to unseat it. Instead, we will be glad to see a confident, open, ever-growing and prosperous United States. Likewise, the United States should not bet against China, or interfere in China’s internal affairs. It should instead welcome a peaceful, stable and prosperous China.”
Before you dismiss it all as communist propaganda, let’s draw up a few takeaways. Our values and your values may be different, but they need not lead to conflicts. There need not be an ideological fight to the death between China and the US.
