Sunday, July 31, 2016

CHINA SOFT POWER RISING AND RECENT AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC SERIOUS SET BACK UPDATED BY FRANCIS C W FUNG, PH. D.

CHINA SOFT POWER RISING AND RECENT AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC SERIOUS SET BACK BY FRANCIS C W FUNG, PH. D. AMERICA, COUNTRY WITH THE MOST SOFT POWER AFTER THE FALL OF THE SOVIET EMPIRE America the leading military power also often claims it has most of the soft power of the world. Especially after the fall of the Soviet Empire, when U.S. world influence reaches its zenith. At the same breath America also looks down on China as lacking in soft power. Even Harvard professor Joseph Nye, who coined the term soft power, claims that China has no soft power. It is true after 1979 China’s reform and open up under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, China practiced low profile diplomacy and did not promote political ideology. However, with China’s over 5000 years of continuous important history and the worldwide influence of Chinese ancient philosophers such as Confucius, Laotze and Mengtze, China has always been an influential country of culture and philosophy. Confucianism as a governing philosophy is widely practiced by all Asian nations up to modern day. China is a cultural state and not a political state as described by Martin Jacques in “When China Rules the World”. CHINA, THE RISING SOFT POWER NATION UNDER PRESIDENT XI JINGPING After 30 years of phenomenal economic growth, China now is the biggest economic country by purchasing power according to World Bank. By 2020 China will become the biggest world economic power in absolute terms surpassing America. Under the leadership of President Xi Jingping, China is spreading the philosophy of mutual development, community of common destiny and win-win cooperation. This unique world unity philosophy has its roots in ancient Confucian teaching, when Confucian Scholars promoted the concept of Great Unity (Da Tong), the teachings of Benevolence (Ren) and “All men are brothers within four seas.” Since 2013, President Xi Jingping has initiated the grand vision to revitalize the Ancient Silk Road, which was the main conduit of East and West cultural and economic exchanges since the ancient times to 18th century. Through this ancient Silk Road and the marine Silk Road Chinese inventions such as Compass, paper, printing and dynamite were transferred to Europe through Arabian countries, without these inventions Europe may not as advanced today with the European Renaissance. The Chinese Silk Road revitalization, termed the “One Belt One Road” initiative is a grand initiative to connect Western Europe, South East Asia and China through Central Asia and Eastern Europe by an economic belt with all modern infrastructures such as high-speed rails, internet and power transmission lines. A 21st century marine ocean road with modern ports and infrastructures will connect China to Africa through South East Asia, Arabian nations. Through this grand “One belt One Road” initiative China will be spreading the philosophy of mutual development, community of common destiny and win-win cooperation to all the emerging nations, thus leading to the 21st Century globalization that will be more wide spread and inclusive than the current failing 20th century globalization led by America. Inevitably, by 2020 when China has invested 1 trillion dollars to the “One Belt One Road” initiative that will lead to 2.5 trillion dollars annual trade between China and the Silk Road nations, China’s soft power will no doubt surpass the U.S. without using political ideology. RECENT AMERICAN DIPLOMACY SERIOUS SET BACK The inevitable China rise in soft power is evidenced by the recent major U.S. set back in diplomacy. When China launched the Asian Infrastructures Investment Bank (AIIB) in 2014, America out of self-interest was doing all it can to convince its NATO and Asian allies not to join the AIIB. America was concerned that the AIIB will challenge U.S. dominance by competing with World Bank and Asian Development bank both controlled by America. For the first time in modern history America influence failed to win world support in a major world undertaking of great consequences. Despite America’s arm twisting, major NATO European Nations joined AIIB as founding partners and all Asian nations joined with the exception of Japan. To vent its anger, America described U.K.s joining the AIIB as an act of kowtowing to China. Actually by not joining, America is being isolated in buildup of the “One Belt One Road” initiative, the greatest infrastructure building project in human history. It is unanimous among all U.S. scholars and diplomats, America suffered a historical diplomatic set back and is a big loser in this case. The recent America “pivot to Asia” was designed to constraint China’s rise of influence. The South China Sea territory conflict was exploited by America in all angles possible as an outsider in the name of Freedom of Navigation to assert its hegemony. In reality South China Sea freedom of navigation is never a problem, all concerned nations including China and U.S. have vested interest to maintain freedom of navigation. To challenge China’s influence, America was determined to use the strategy of divide and conquer by forming military alliances throughout Asia. In a not so subtle speech at the Shangri-La Security Conference, the U.S. Defense Secretary, Ashe Carter, announced China’s building of public service infrastructures such as light houses, weather observation stations and traunami warning buoys is like building a great wall of sand to isolate itself. In its all-out effort to win influence to constrain China, America wastes no efforts to pressure ASEAN 2016 Conference to side with Philippine in its dispute with China. To America’s dismay the final ASEAN declaration demanded outside nations not to interfere in the South China Sea dispute and the best resolution of dispute is through bilateral negotiation between countries involved, this is the Chinese position all along. Without any doubt this is the most humiliating historical defeat of U.S. hegemony since the glory days when America could block China’s rightful U.N. entry from 1949 to 1971. For 22 years American hegemony ruled the U.N. and denied China’s rightful position as a U.N. founding member. From the days as dictator of U.N. to today’s failure to influence ASEAN for our self-interest to contain China is indeed a drastic decline in U.S. world soft power. A MULTI POLAR WORLD OF PEACE AND HARMONY IS BETTER WITHOUT AMERICAN HEGEMONY In conclusion, the world with China rising is leading to a multipolar world. Especially with the rise of all the emerging nations along the “One Belt One Road’ initiative, the 21st century globalization will be complete and all inclusive, much more prosperous and harmonious than the failing 20th century globalization. Thus the rebalance of world soft power is a very positive movement that all nations will support!!! In Service of World Harmony Francis C W Fung, PH.D. Director General World Harmony Organization San Francisco, CA

CHINA SOFT POWER RISING AND RECENT AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC SERIOUS SET BACK; BY FRANCIS C W FUNG, PH. D.

CHINA SOFT POWER RISING AND RECENT AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC SERIOUS SET BACK BY FRANCIS C W FUNG, PH. D. AMERICA, COUNTRY WITH THE MOST SOFT POWER AFTER THE FALL OF THE SOVIET EMPIRE America the leading military power also often claims it has most of the soft power of the world. Especially after the fall of the Soviet Empire, when U.S. world influence reaches its zenith. At the same breath America also looks down on China as lacking in soft power. Even Harvard professor Joseph Nye, who coined the term soft power, claims that China has no soft power. It is true after 1979 China’s reform and open up under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, China practiced low profile diplomacy and did not promote political ideology. However, with China’s over 5000 years of continuous important history and the worldwide influence of Chinese ancient philosophers such as Confucius, Laotze and Mengtze, China has always been an influential country of culture and philosophy. Confucianism as a governing philosophy is widely practiced by all Asian nations up to modern day. China is a cultural state and not a political state as described by Martin Jacques in “When China Rules the World”. CHINA, THE RISING SOFT POWER NATION UNDER PRESIDENT XI JINGPING After 30 years of phenomenal economic growth, China now is the biggest economic country by purchasing power according to World Bank. By 2020 China will become the biggest world economic power in absolute terms surpassing America. Under the leadership of President Xi Jingping, China is spreading the philosophy of mutual development, community of common destiny and win-win cooperation. This unique world unity philosophy has its roots in ancient Confucian teaching, when Confucian Scholars promoted the concept of Great Unity (Da Tong), the teachings of Benevolence (Ren) and “All men are brothers within four seas.” Since 2013, President Xi Jingping has initiated the grand vision to revitalize the Ancient Silk Road, which was the main conduct of East and West cultural and economic exchange since the ancient times to 18th century. Through this ancient Silk Road and the marine Silk Road Chinese inventions such as Compass, paper, printing and dynamite were transferred to Europe through Arabian countries, without this inventions Europe may not as advanced as today with the European Renaissance. The Chinese Silk Road revitalization, termed the “One Belt One Road” initiative is a grand initiative to connect Western Europe, South East Asia and China through Central Asia and Eastern Europe through an economic belt by all modern infrastructures such as high-speed rails, internet and power transmission lines. A 21st century marine ocean road with modern ports and infrastructures will connect China to Africa through South East Asia, Arab to Africa. Through this grand “One belt One Road” initiative China will be spreading the philosophy of mutual development, community of common destiny and win-win cooperation to all the emerging nations, thus leading to the 21st Century globalization that will be more wide spread and inclusive than the current failing 20th century globalization led by America. Inevitably, by 2020 when China has invested 1 trillion dollars to the “One Belt One Road” initiative that will lead to 2.5 trillion dollars annual trade between China and the Silk Road nations, China’s soft power will no doubt surpass the U.S. without using political ideology. RECENT AMERICAN DIPLOMACY SERIOUS SET BACK The inevitable China rise in soft power is evidenced by the recent major U.S. set back in diplomacy. When China launched the Asian Infrastructures Investment Bank (AIIB) in 2014, America out of self-interest was doing all it can to convince its NATO and Asian allies not to join the AIIB. America was concerned that the AIIB will challenge U.S. dominance by competing with World Bank and Asian Development bank both controlled by America. For the first time in modern history America influence failed to win world support in a major world undertaking of major consequences. Despite America’s arm twisting major NATO European Nations joined AIIB as founding partners and all Asian nations joined with the exception of Japan. To vent its anger America described U.K.s joining the AIIB as an act of kowtowing to China. Actually by not joining, America is being isolated in buildup of the “One Belt One Road” initiative, the greatest infrastructure building project in human history. It is unanimous among all U.S. scholars and diplomats, America suffered a historical diplomatic set back and is a big loser in this case. The recent America “pivot to Asia” was designed to constraint China’s rise of influence. The South China Sea territory conflict was exploited by America in all angles possible as an outsider in the name of Freedom of Navigation to assert its hegemony. In reality South China Sea freedom of navigation is never a problem, all concerned nations including China and U.S. have vested interest to maintain freedom of navigation. To challenge China’s influence America was determined to use the strategy of divide and conquer by forming military alliances throughout Asia. In a not so subtle speech at the Shangri-La Security Conference, the U.S. Defense Secretary, Ashe Carter, announced China’s building of public service infrastructures such as light houses, weather observation stations and traunami warning buoys is like building a great wall of sand to isolate itself. In its all-out effort to win influence to constrain China, America wastes no efforts to pressure ASEAN 2016 Conference to side with Philippine in its dispute with China. To America’s dismay the final ASEAN declaration demanded outside nations not to interfere in the South China Sea dispute and the best resolution of dispute is through bilateral negotiation between countries involved, the Chinese position all along. Without any doubt this is the most humiliating historical defeat of U.S. hegemony since the glory days when America could block China’s rightful U.N. entry from 1949 to 1971. For 22 years American hegemony ruled the U.N. and denied China’s rightful position as U.N. founding member. From the days as dictator of U.N. to today’s failure to influence ASEAN for our self-interest to contain China is indeed a drastic decline in U.S. world soft power. A MULTIPOLAR OF PEACE AND HARMONY IS BETTER WITHOUT AMERICAN HEGEMONY In conclusion, the world with China rising is leading to a multipolar world. Especially with the rise of all the emerging nations along the “One Belt One Road’ initiative, the 21st century globalization will be complete and all inclusive, much more prosperous and harmonious than the failing 20th century globalization. Thus the rebalance of world soft power is a very positive movement that all nations will support!!! In Service of World Harmony Francis C W Fung, PH.D. Director General World Harmony Organization San Francisco, CA