"If You Want To Understand China" (intro)
Why we decided to prepare a series of articles for a better and more diverse understanding of China
A number of associates and board members from the Transnational Foundation of Peace and Future Research (TFF) have decided to prepare and launch an anthology of articles in coming months to provide a broader understanding of China.
Why? – you may ask. Simply because there is so much more to win from mutual understanding and cooperation – in respect for diversity than from confrontation, threatening, ‘red lines,’ provocations, sanctions as well as Cold and Warm war. Given humanity’s situation and the need for solving the ‘real’ problems of our global future, better begin today than tomorrow.
What we argue in the motivation of launching these series – in different ways and from various perspectives – is that:
a) the West is lagging grossly behind in understanding China compared with China’s understanding of the West;
b) China must be understood on its own socio-cultural and historical premises and not judged only by Western values and norms;
c) the accusation industry against China is delusional and, in the long run, more destructive to the West itself than to China;
d) there is, at the end of the day, much more that makes China and the West compatible with each other than divides them and, finally, that:
e) there is no way to solve humanity’s problems if the West continues to fight the macro-historical world order changes, and China’s well-deserved role in it, instead of adapting to itself to them.
In summary, mutual respect for diversity and differences, dialogue about them and a will to try to find the imminently possible synergy is vital to humanity’s better and more peaceful future.
We call the anthology “If You Want To Understand China.” We know that some may not want to, but that will be self-defeating and self-marginalising. The world system – and the times – are changing faster than ever. And for those who do want to, we provide a series of analyses that – so we sincerely hope – can help the reader move in that constructive direction.
And that path will also be the path that leads to peace. As the Danish philosopher, Piet Hein, allegedly formulated our choice: It’s either co-existence or no-existence.
Read our foreword, full introduction and table of upcoming contents of the anthology in TFF’s website :
Subscribe to TFF website or here in China21 Journal to receive the full series of “If You Want To Understand China” articles coming months in your mailbox.
August 25, 2024
Authors “If You Want To Understand China”
Jan Oberg • Peter Peverelli • Thore Vestby • Yuewei Wang • Johan Galtung • Gordon Dumoulin