China’s self-righteousness not always right

THE description of China as truculent but not imperial Japan in a new book by Robert Kaplan titled Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea and the end to a stable Pacific is true only because China has, up to now, exercised greater patience in a global system that is largely inclusive. But because China has benefited from that system should we conclude it will not want to change it?

Deng Xiaoping had called on China to keep its head down, be patient and just achieve economic success in its peaceful rise. Being patient, however, suggests you want to do something at the end. What? Charitably, China is just agnostic, making hay while the sun shines. Afterwards, China may “Rule the World”, in the words of writer Martin Jacques.