Editorials

Op-Ed Contributors

Chinese Press

Columnists

LETTERS

Letters and Blogs

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-06-04 08:09

Collaboration of civilizations mantra for future

Comment on the article, "The magic mantra of peaceful coexistence" (China Daily website, May 26))

The news of the insolvency of iconic US financial institutions and corporations in September 2008 changed everything, and showed how fragile the global economy is.

The Americans elected Barack Obama as their president because he convinced them that only he could tackle the financial crisis properly.

China increased its support for US government debt by raising its foreign exchange reserves by $191 billion between March and November 2008, even as Japan reduced its holdings. By February, it had raised it by more than $700 billion.

China has always believed in the philosophy of "collaboration of civilizations" and has unilaterally followed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in its relations with the US and other countries. But the US still seems to be stuck with the traditional notion of "clash of civilizations".

The assumption that the US would reciprocate China's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence may upset its security partners in Asia, such as Japan and India, because of the misguided belief that a clash of civilizations is inevitable.

The US may soon find it difficult to pay its bills, for it may not be able to borrow or print more dollars to do so. That's precisely why the principle of "clash of civilizations" doesn't hold true.

Obama, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi have all understood the problem of American foreign policy. But just understanding it is not enough. To balance the US and Chinese economies, Washington and Beijing should align their economic and national security permanently - because India and Japan are not in a position to rebalance the American economy.

If another financial crisis were to strike this year, it would cause a major devaluation of the US dollar, and then the American government would not be able to pay its debt by borrowing more. And once investors stop hankering after US dollars or Treasury bills, the global financial system would undergo a fundamental change.

The American people know the situation is harsh and could get harsher, and hence they have elected an extraordinarily capable leader.

But until the US changes its foreign policy from "clash of civilizations" to "collaboration of civilizations" the Chinese will not accept the universality of US values.

Unfortunately, the US is being driven toward "state capitalism" but without "scientific management". What is taking place now is a historical development comparable to the Industrial Revolution or the Enlightenment. The problem is that China is evolving but the US seems to be degenerating. The Americans have to fix that problem. And they can fix it by accepting China's suggestion of a "harmonious world" (i.e. a collaboration of civilizations) because it is a better way to move forward than by following the "clash of civilizations" theory.

John Milligan-Whyte

on the China Daily website

Readers' comments are welcome. Please send mail to Letters to the Editor, China Daily, 15 Huixin Dongjie, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029 China. Send faxes to (86-10) 6491-8377. Send e-mail to opinion@chinadaily.com.cn or letters@chinadaily.com.cn or to the individual columnists. China Daily reserves the right to edit all letters. Thank you.

(China Daily 06/04/2009 page9)