Cornered

Soon after the long awaited meeting between the leaders of the U.S. and China after the G20 summit, there came the news that the CFO of Huawei, China's leading telecom equipment and services provider, was detained in Canada under the request of the U.S. and then many countries like Australia, Japan and New Zealand, following the U.S., have announced blocking on the purchase from Huawei. Apparently this is a concerted action among these countries and the purpose is also obvious. As mentioned in my first post about the trade war between China and the U.S. in this July that trade conflict is merely an excuse but the underlying issue lies on the combat on the global affairs leadership between the two nations.

This Huawei incident is for sure another battle in fighting for the say on the 5G telecommunication standard between the two countries so it is very clear why the U.S. prohibits the purchase on Huawei's equipments for any governmental agencies but why Australia, New Zealand and Japan follow suit? Indeed Europe, led by Germany, is also about to pull the welcome mat out from China's telecom companies. These countries are no match with China's strength on this aspect anyway so it appears to be weird. Some may suspect they are pressurized by the U.S. but except Japan, it is unlikely that these countries followed suit just because of the U.S.'s  pressure. There must be some other reasons behind the concerted action.

The reason announced about the blockage is for the concern on national security so despite no explicit allegation on spying through the telecom equipment from China's companies but it was spoken between the lines. Apparently for outsiders it is only a Rashomon and China naturally denies. In fact unless either side can produce obvious evidence on their claims it will remain rashomon and the truth is not really the key issue. Anyone who has read some elementary psychology book know the concept of perception is truth. You are if I perceive you are no matter whether or not are you. This perspective holds true in international affairs as well. Despite of its open door policy 40 years ago till now, China remains suspicious to the West. After the collapse of the USSR she is the only communist country in the world that can post threat to the counterpart western world when Russia has already departed from the camp.

China's economic success made in the past 40 years is out of question a legend in human's history. The transformation from a laid back farming country to a manufacturing giant in such a short period has surprised the world. Her dark side is that she remains an authoritarian nation despite of her economic triumph. It is the main hindrance for China integrating into the world's main stream. Some Chinese die hard communism fans may still be suffered from the delusional disorder that the western world's wish to conquer us has never died so there is a resistant mindset against the modern  mainstream values deep inside their subconsciousness. It is this kind of mentality that stops China having friend in the international community. Germany and Japan were once enemies to the U.S. but now they are allies. Many European countries had wars among each others for centuries but now they formed the EU. Why only China has got no true ally and is it the reason why she is cornered now? It is a billion dollars question.


Ideology is still a barrage and the East has never met the West.