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Opinion | Hong Kong must not be swayed by the West’s demonisation of China
- Unnerved by China’s success, the West seeks to discredit it by selling the narrative that it is a threat to the ‘international order’. But it is the US that risks destabilising Asia
- In Hong Kong, we must see that our interests lie in China being stable, and help promote peace
Reading Time:3 minutes
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The spectre of geopolitical disruption is upon us. Hong Kong must not fall into the trap of pessimism. It must be ready to play defence as Western leaders seek to punish China for its success.
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For those who mean to put more pressure on China, it is necessary to paint it in the worst possible light. Thus, China has become a “systemic challenge”. Its leaders are “authoritarian”, the Chinese political system is “totalitarian”, and Chinese economic policies are “mercantilist”.
Moreover, China threatens the West’s “interests, security and values”, in the words of Nato, a political and military alliance in which America has the most influence.
The message being promoted is that China threatens what Western societies supposedly stand for – “democracy” and “freedom”. US President Joe Biden has called it a fight between democracy and “autocracy”.
These labels and narratives are designed to stir emotions. China’s leaders since the 1980s have delivered significant progress for the Chinese people. One doesn’t have to buy the Chinese system wholesale to acknowledge this undeniable fact.
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However, China’s success can be diminished by whipping up people’s fears, as the heart holds sway over the head. The anti-China narrative pits good against evil, presenting China as a menace to something referred to as the “international order”.
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