The People's Republic of China is consistently in the Canadian media. Many reports are alarming and hot button topics include China’s influence in national and local Canadian politics, Taiwan, the South China Sea, pollution, and more..Other reports seem more positive including China’s alternative energy push, the expansion of EV manufacturing, and China’s foreign aid..Canadian–Chinese relations have a long history..But, when Canadians look at China, many see only what they wish..The Communist Part of China (CCP,) in addition to controls on information and ever-increasing use of technology to monitor its population, also calls on established cultural values to promote its agenda..This includes eliciting Confucian political precedence as interpreted through a lens of “Socialism with Chinese Characteristics.” In this, the CCP takes its cue from the imperial governments' use of the Confucian family-centered ethic, to benefit the power elite..Thus, the person holding power was a father figure whom one should unquestionably obey. Sure enough, recent Communist Chinese presidents have followed this principle..The reality of the Confucianism system however, is that subordinates are abused. They tolerate this so that they may rise to the top — where they can abuse their subordinates..President Xi came to power initially supported by a group of politicians who were in favour of sound business ideas, international corporations, and further reform of society. Gaining power, President Xi proved to be in opposition to these ideas..President Xi is shaped by two major political events..The first is what the Chinese call the Century of Humiliation and the second is the fall of the USSR..The Century of Humiliation refers to the period from 1839 to the 1940s. Because of the trade policies of the Imperial Qing government, the balance of trade was overwhelming in favour of China for decades..The European powers attempted to address this, but to no avail. This led to military actions between the Qing and mostly European powers, all of which were lost by China..The Qing government had to sign 'unfair trade treaties,' the same as others who lost in war. The rhetoric by the CCP around the slogan 'Century of Humiliation' is primarily political and lacks sophisticated analysis..Perhaps the most humiliating part was the Chinese had believed themselves to be superior to all other peoples for millennia. Until recently, they labeled others 'barbarians.' Further, the Chinese name for their own country is Middle Kingdom, indicating thereby that they held the central position in the world..The Century of Humiliation was the period of a psychological culture shock: not only had Europe surpassed China — but even Japan! Because of this, the CCP holds a generally antagonistic attitude toward the West and Japan. Canada was not a major actor in these events, but that seems a point lost to the CCP..The fall of the USSR also weighs on President Xi..The CCP studied the collapse of the USSR for ten years. The most significant conclusion was that its own internal political problems brought down the USSR. President Xi believes no one was brave enough to fight for the party and the party lost ideological control of the communist historical narrative..The start of the current state of the CCP under President Xi emphasized ideological purity of the historic narrative. In addition, a cult of the leader was fomented with Xi as the man who would save China from the fate of the USSR..Even though most people are generally open and friendly, the school system in China encourages a xenophobic anti-Western attitude. The CCP is only interested in power. Human life and morality are of little value outside of serving the party..Canadian elites see the China of the 1990s..They need to look more closely at President Xi..He is repositioning China away from the reforms of President Deng Xiaoping, back to policies closer to Chairman Mao’s..Cleverly, President Xi has been able to accomplish much of what Mao had only started. To better Mao, there is one grand prize that Mao failed to grab: The taking of democratic Taiwan..(First in a series of two. The second article by Dr. Barber appears on Monday.).Dr. A.W. Barber is the former Director of Asian Studies at the University of Calgary. He is internationally active and has wide-ranging interests.
