Reference News Network, November 28 report: The Egyptian "Al-Ahram" newspaper website published an article titled "Understanding China... Strategic Necessity" on September 30. The author is Ahmed Kandil, Director of the Department of International Relations at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. The following is a translation:
When I was writing this article, a scene clearly appeared in my mind. Last November, in a small meeting room in Beijing, a senior Chinese diplomat sat beside me. We had a friendly discussion about China's economic and military rise over the past decade. During the conversation, he whispered to me: "We Chinese don't talk about rising... we talk about returning. What we are doing now is simply regaining the position we lost two centuries ago."
I repeatedly thought about his words and realized their profound meaning. What we consider the 'Chinese miracle' is not seen that way in the consciousness of the Chinese people. They see themselves as heirs of a great civilization that had only temporarily declined. The danger lies here: if we only look at China through the lens of the present, we will miss the real motivation behind its ambitions, fall into superficial assessments, and ultimately make wrong policies or poorly considered strategic choices.
In my view, the greatest difficulty in understanding China lies in its complexity: it is a socialist country with Chinese characteristics, yet its economy is deeply integrated into the global market; it is a rising superpower, yet still insists on positioning itself as a developing country; on one hand, it adheres to a discourse of partnership and cooperation, while on the other hand, it is committed to enhancing its strategic influence in the surrounding region and beyond.
Egypt and the Arab world face the challenge of insufficient understanding of China. This lack of awareness is not accidental, but the result of long-term accumulation of historical, intellectual, and political factors. The dominance of Western narratives in media and academic literature has led people's understanding of China to be based more on the interests of major powers than on the actual situation. In addition, due to the lack of direct communication with Chinese institutions and independent information sources, researchers are limited in their ability to obtain accurate information. Traditionally, the Arab world's focus on the West has made research on China a secondary issue, and the long-term lack of strategic dialogue with Beijing has resulted in decisions based on incomplete information, thereby exacerbating the knowledge gap.
I am not trying to incite fascination with China, but rather to call for understanding it. Understanding the 'Chinese giant' is a strategic weapon in an unstable world. Egypt needs a clear understanding of China: its capabilities, its aspirations, and its concerns. The relationship with China is an important component in reshaping the global balance of power.
Egypt urgently needs independent and autonomous China research projects, to build a comprehensive knowledge system, encourage continuous cultural and media dialogue, and develop a long-term relationship strategy based on shared interests. The Sino-Egyptian relationship holds great potential: from energy and infrastructure to technology and education.
China is not only an economic partner, but also represents a culture, a philosophy, and a worldview. If we cannot understand these dimensions, our engagement with China will always remain superficial, like standing on a bridge watching a river, unable to perceive its depth. We must combine trade with civilizational dialogue, energy with cultural integration, making our relationship with China truly human-centered.
The story of China is not irrelevant to Egypt; it is a new chapter in the grand narrative of the modern world. Those who fail to understand this chapter will eventually be marginalized by history; while those who approach China with insight and patience will find they have opened not only a door to the East, but also a door to the future and even the entire world. (Translated by Wu Tianyu)
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7577636759920591369/
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