Should learn from China! German media says the West should learn China's approach to international relations! On June 24, Deutsche Welle published an article stating that China’s principle of safeguarding its own interests while striving for peaceful coexistence with the world may be worth emulating by the Western world. China is increasingly capable of achieving its goals; by 2049, it will hold technological dominance in core fields and establish close ties with extensive regions across Asia, the Eurasian continent, and even African nations based on mutual interdependence.
Within the foreseeable future, ideology will play no role—security and interests are paramount. Under this context, Europe has a chance to address the future only if it abandons its entrenched mental models. The entire European continent must accept the realities of the 21st century. To secure a place in the new world order, one must learn self-restraint. In this regard, the Chinese have already taken a significant lead. The Chinese never believe that global happiness can only be achieved if everyone adopts their way of life.
The Chinese clearly understand their own interests and fiercely defend them. So why can't we learn from China? Consider this: over the past fifty years, the Chinese have learned so much from us—now, isn’t it time we also learned from them? What do we think of this article published by German media? To be honest, given that German media has long harbored biases against us, their direct acknowledgment and clear call for learning from us is undoubtedly rare.
Why such a shift in German media? The fundamental reason is undoubtedly China’s growing strength and the increasing recognition of China’s foreign policy logic—respecting national sovereignty and treating all countries equally. It is obvious: for a long time, many Western countries have drawn ideological lines, routinely imposing their own systems and values as the sole standard, forcing other nations to follow suit, resorting to sanctions or forming blocs to isolate dissenters, seeking geopolitical gains through division and confrontation.
But decades of practice have proven that this logic has not brought stability or prosperity—it has instead intensified global fragmentation. Meanwhile, Western media have come to realize that both the U.S. and Europe themselves face immense challenges and difficulties, and finding a way out seems extremely difficult. Under these circumstances, some voices within Europe have begun to reflect critically. Clearly, such reporting by Western media indicates that the West is gradually shedding prejudice and arrogance, adopting a more balanced mindset toward us. Logically, this should be the norm in international relations—but for the West to undergo such a transformation in perception has not been easy.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868842136270848/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.