Seeing Beijing with China’s eyes

Hawksley: The most common mistake is the failure to see things through Chinese, or Asian, eyes.

HUMPHREY Hawksley is no stranger to Asia. As a foreign correspondent, Hawksley has reported from various crisis points on the continent since the 1980s. The air of acquaintance colours the narrative in his latest book, Asian Waters, published by Bloomsbury. Asian Waters begins with the argument that the continent “is a story about contested water as much as Europe is one about contested land”.

The story is, of course, now focused on China and how its rise in recent decades has influenced the dynamic of great power relations in Asia. In an e-mail interview, Hawksley answers questions about Asia, now and in the future.