Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.
Most of us most of the time don’t want to see ourselves as others see us. But we should try.
Below are the Introduction and the Conclusion of a long paper written by China that criticizes the United States. I imagine that many Americans don’t want to hear about China’s view of our nation, but shame on them that don’t want to hear it. What’s important is that the 2/3s of the world that doesn’t pledge allegiance to the U.S. may find China’s message compelling.
Introduction
Since becoming the world’s most powerful country after the two world wars and the Cold War, the United States has acted more boldly to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, pursue, maintain and abuse hegemony, advance subversion and infiltration, and willfully wage wars, bringing harm to the international community.
The United States has developed a hegemonic playbook to stage “color revolutions,” instigate regional disputes, and even directly launch wars under the guise of promoting democracy, freedom and human rights. Clinging to the Cold War mentality, the United States has ramped up bloc politics and stoked conflict and confrontation. It has overstretched the concept of national security, abused export controls and forced unilateral sanctions upon others. It has taken a selective approach to international law and rules, utilizing or discarding them as it sees fit, and has sought to impose rules that serve its own interests in the name of upholding a “rules-based international order.”
This report, by presenting the relevant facts, seeks to expose the U.S. abuse of hegemony in the political, military, economic, financial, technological and cultural fields, and to draw greater international attention to the perils of the U.S. practices to world peace and stability and the well-being of all peoples.
…
Conclusion
While a just cause wins its champion wide support, an unjust one condemns its pursuer to be an outcast. The hegemonic, domineering, and bullying practices of using strength to intimidate the weak, taking from others by force and subterfuge, and playing zero-sum games are exerting grave harm. The historical trends of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit are unstoppable. The United States has been overriding truth with its power and trampling justice to serve self-interest. These unilateral, egoistic and regressive hegemonic practices have drawn growing, intense criticism and opposition from the international community.
Countries need to respect each other and treat each other as equals. Big countries should behave in a manner befitting their status and take the lead in pursuing a new model of state-to-state relations featuring dialogue and partnership, not confrontation or alliance. China opposes all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and rejects interference in other countries’ internal affairs. The United States must conduct serious soul-searching. It must critically examine what it has done, let go of its arrogance and prejudice, and quit its hegemonic, domineering and bullying practices.
China is right about the U.S. We have become the evil empire we once fought a revolution to escape. Even if we can’t see the problem ourselves we should wise up to the fact that others can see it.
Tidewater News and Opinion Forum 
Good thing you do not live in the China or Russia you admire so much because spreading such material in their country could land you in prison.
But sure, the United States has made mistakes in the international sphere over the decades. I would not count creating the United Nations, the Marshall Plan, or creating a system of trade and finance that pulled China and others out of poverty among them. But then there is Vietnam (opposed by the left), the support of the Contras (opposed by the left), and the invasion of Iraq on phony pretexts (opposed by the left). These are stains. As are our treatment of Cuba and our deadly interference in the affairs of Latin American countries. Misguided, damaging and evil. We should take off our rose colored glasses and look at such failings with the purpose of avoiding them again. Too bad, the “conservatives” in our country have – up to now – demonized as unAmerican people who have tried to do that.
But for all our faults and failures we have not followed policies of genocide – literally and deliberately killing people in the millions – as have your favorite fascist states. Our behavior as an “evil empire” does not even come close.
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You should learn some of the facts and figures China cites in section II of its report, “Military Hegemony — Wanton Use of Force.”
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I read it.
It contains a lot of “divisive concepts” that cannot legally be taught in Virginia schools.
I do not think it is any secret how the United States grew through military force. So did Russia. So did China. And yes, we have a very large military. Not as large as China or India, but large. And our military is not a constant threat to the security of a neighboring country as China’s is to Taiwan.
The dishonest nature of the report can be seen in the claim that it was the United States provoked or launched the Korean War. That is pretty much the complete opposite of the truth. And blaming us for the strife in Syria is absurd or the war in Afghanistan are dogs that won’t hunt.
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I don’t find the report dishonest. You, however, I suspect of lying to yourself about Korea, Syria and Afghanistan.
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Afghanistan was attacked by us because it was the base for the 9-11 attackers which the government in power there sheltered. How am I lying to myself to dismiss China’s alternate history? (BTW, Russia invaded Afghanistan for no reason at all.)
People in Syria revolted against a despot who suppressed them with Russian brutality. How am I lying to myself?
North Korea invaded and attempted to absorb South Korea in 1950 at the instigation of CHINA and Russia. How am I lying to myself?
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RE: “How am I lying to myself to dismiss China’s alternate history?”
China wrote: “After World War II, the wars either provoked or launched by the United States included the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, the War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, the Libyan War and the Syrian War…”
You apparently object to the phrase “provoked or launched” on literal grounds. As a result, you are lying to yourself if you believe that the U.S. played no role in creating those conflicts.
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“As a result, you are lying to yourself if you believe that the U.S. played no role in creating those conflicts.”
We neither launched nor provoked the Korean War. CHINA did.
Afghanistan chose to harbor the 9-11 attack. We did not provoke that attack.
We did not launch nor provoke the strife in Syria. That was the work of Assad and Russia.
I have criticized our country’s actions repeatedly for decades, but I will not accept that it be blamed for things it did not do. You, on the other hand, seem very eager to swallow and then re-gurgitate Russian and Chinese propaganda. Some patriot you are!
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RE: “We neither launched nor provoked the Korean War. CHINA did.”
Some would argue that by establishing the 38th parallel, dividing Korea in two, the U.S. provoked the war.
RE: “Afghanistan chose to harbor the 9-11 attack.”
That’s lame. You are saying the Taliban made us do it?
RE: “We did not launch nor provoke the strife in Syria.”
We supported the Arab Spring protests that escalated into a Syrian civil war. Later, we led an international coalition in military operations in Syria.
Like I said, you are being overly literal.
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I am being overly literal? Really?
Because I do not accept fake history and phony charges against our country from Chinese propagandists who, it seems, would like to hide Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and their own ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs by blowing smoke about our country. If that is “overly literal” then so be it.
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RE: “I am being overly literal? Really?”
Yes, really. As described.
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“Yes, really. As described.”
Well, nonsense is the best we can expect from you and once again you deliver.
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“China opposes all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and rejects interference in other countries’ internal affairs.”
Then China should support the Ukrainian defense of its sovereignty. Invasion of a country is, by any definition, interference in other countries’ affairs.
Xi might keep his official “policy” in mind while threatening the existence of Taiwan.
But a reasonable person reading this screed can certainly be skeptical of its sincerity. Coming from a country that “re-educates” opposition leaders or minorities, a second point of view is never coming to light.
Couple this with Putin saying the very survival of Russia is at stake because the country they are destroying won’t surrender.
Yes, we have Western propaganda too. It comes out at every election in nations that still have open democracies and free press. But those are debatable in the open without fear of persecution. (Unless you are a history teacher in Florida or an OBGYN in Idaho😇)
IMO
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RE: “But a reasonable person reading this screed can certainly be skeptical of its sincerity.”
OK, but how does sincerity matter?
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Because an insincere report freely mixes truth, lies, and significant omissions. That makes it useless as a source of information because none of what it says can be taken at face value.
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If some one points a gun at you but says he has no plan to shoot, you hope to hell he is sincere.
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In this case, China is pointing an ideological gun at us. They haven’t said whether they plan to shoot us, or not. On the other hand, the paper tells us that China feels justified in its opposition to our role on the world stage.
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China has a bit of a ‘pot/kettle’ problem here, but that doesn’t make the accusation totally untrue.
We are the ones with 11 aircraft carriers to “project power”
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Whatever our military strength might be and no matter what we have done wrong in the past has NOTHING to do with Russia choosing to invade Ukraine and commit massive crimes against humanity.
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No one, individual or country likes to have its faults pointed out.
But then think about this. When teachers attempt to teach a complete history of this country they are called unpatriotic or are attempting to indoctrinate children into the “white people in the past were bad so you should feel badly about it today” cycle.
China, an adversarial nation, is quick to point out our faults. Just as we are quick to point out their’s.
I suppose I am saying, about the China anti-USA screed: So what?
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RE: “I suppose I am saying, about the China anti-USA screed: So what?”
Fair question. I believe I answered it in the post when I wrote, “Even if we can’t see the problem ourselves we should wise up to the fact that others can see it.”
We should be concerned about our reputation.
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“We should be concerned about our reputation.”
Our allies know who we are. Who cares what China thinks? When we criticize them, they threaten us. We haven’t reacted similarly. Not to criticism, anyway.
” “Even if we can’t see the problem ourselves”…
I guess you missed my point about teaching about our problems in our schools. Not surprising.
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RE: “Who cares what China thinks?”
Russia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia and South Africa, to name a few.
RE: I guess you missed my point about teaching about our problems in our schools. Not surprising.”
Didn’t miss it. Chose to ignore it as irrelevant.
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Russia doesn’t matter in this context or at this time. The others can and will decide from themselves. SA has its own human rights issues similar to China, so they will decide based on what is best rom their view point. The others will do the same. But if they have dealings with the US that have gone well for them, it will take a lot more than an obvious Chinese anti-American propaganda piece to change their minds,
“Chose to ignore it as irrelevant.”
Sorry you think that self-criticism is irrelevant. But in the context of your post, I believe it to be quite relevant.
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RE: “Russia doesn’t matter in this context or at this time.”
It does, actually. Some are predicting that China is planning to supply munitions to Russia for use in Ukraine.
RE: “But if they have dealings with the US that have gone well for them, it will take a lot more than an obvious Chinese anti-American propaganda piece to change their minds.”
No doubt. The problem for us is that the U.S. is no longer indispensible to the many countries of the so-called “Global South.” As a result, China’s anti-American propaganda can put our interests at a disadvantage.
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“Some are predicting that China”…
Yeah. And some predicted Kyiv would fall in three or four days. A YEAR AGO. And I addressed how China realizes that providing munitions to Russia would cause them issues with the western countries that are aiding and supporting Ukraine. What makes more sense: Support Russia in its illegal and immoral invasion of a sovereign neighbor, or maintain good relations with trading partners in the West?
If those countries are like you, and believe Communist China and/or Russian propaganda, that is their choice. They may find it beneficial to look at who is saying what. And WHY.
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We are China’s biggest trading partner…by far. About 18% of their goods are sold to us, EU gets another 20%. Exports have brought China great prosperity and into the modern world.
Joining a failing state like Russia to alienate the West (never mind its Western friendly trading partners throughout the world) is not something Xi would take lightly.
Xi is a dictator, but I don’t think he is either ignorant nor a blind ideologue. Putin is on a suicide mission through his own isolation, hubris and grand vision of past Russian glory. His corruption bit him on the butt because his oligarchs stole the nation’s treasure as well as securing their riches via pleasing the president. Ignorance played a huge role in relying on a corrupt military as well as underestimating the Ukrainian people. The underestimation is a bit perplexing and illuminating since he had been fighting Ukrainian military for 8 years with little to show for it.
The world looked elsewhere when Georgia, Syria and Chechnya were treated to Stalinesque brutality. But they did not border EU, nor were they fledgling democracies trying the clean up Putin style corruption and join the EU eventually. Ukraine might be the straw that says enough is enough. Especially with daily coverage, the internet and 24 hour news cycles worldwide. Hard to hide his atrocities.
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Here is the real evil empire. Hint : It ain’t us.
https://tinyurl.com/yskpjpby
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