Book Review: HENRY KISSINGER: ON CHINA First published in 2011 by The Penguin Press, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. DOES HENRY REALLY UNDERSTAND CHINESE? In a few days, it will be June 4 and the 24th Anniversary of Tienanmen. In a week, the new Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with President Barack Obama for the first time in California to discuss security issues. This is also the year of the 90th birthday of Henry Alfred Kissinger. It is a propitious time to review the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate's latest book, "ON CHINA." Dr. Henry Kissinger is a teacher, as well as, a practitioner extraordinaire of Realpolitik - in the footsteps of Machiavelli, Richelieu, Bismark, and his contemporary, President Richard M. Nixon. In his book, Dr. Kissinger turns his attention from Europe and gazes further eastward towards China. Given global realities, he could have focused directly on China by going westward, since he writes from the American national interest. The United States of America entered the world stage in the name of democracy by exerting power across the Atlantic Ocean but presently, prominence must also be exerted across the Pacific. This geopolitical reality is almost unique to the United States and may be readily inferred from the book. It is through his analysis of the balance of power in Europe that Dr. Kissinger made his mark as a scholar, but he is indebted to China for his renown as a statesman. But does Henry really understand Chinese? Let us explore this further. Dr. Kissinger opens his book by calling China a "Singularity," noting that China is the only ancient civilization that does not have a founding myth, a story of how a people began. Reading the first few pages, one is beguiled into thinking that Dr. Kissinger's interest in writing about China is sublimely philosophical, even theological. This is furthest from the truth because it quickly becomes obvious that his interest firmly lies in the practical aspects of a cooperative Sino-American relationship, notwithstanding the deep cultural and ideological divides that bedevil the liaison. Quickly, Kissinger launches into an analysis of the ancient Chinese game of wei qi (better known in the West as "go") and the perceptive reader can grasp that he also has on his mind the American game of "containment" (à la George Kennan). On matters of Chinese antiquity, Kissinger has the audacity to place Sun Tzu on an equal plane with Confucius, this being sure to raise some Chinese eyebrows. I count him as quoting Sun Tzu on War more often than Confucius on Ethics (whom he merely mentions), perhaps revealing that Kissinger knows that Sino-American relations have been strained by war, such as the Vietnam and Korean Wars (where US troops engaged Chinese). This takes us to the purpose of Dr. Kissinger's book - how to continue mutually beneficial and peaceful relations between two superpowers. Dr. Kissinger waxes nostalgic about Triangular Diplomacy (USA-USSR-China) and his pivotal but then secret role in setting up the Nixon-Mao meeting in China in 1972 and the Shanghai Communiqué. He shares, somewhat but not quite all pedagogically, key details of his various intimate conversations with Chinese leaders such as Chairman Mao, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaopeng (dubbed "The Indestructible Deng"), Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao. These colorful dialogues which transpired over many decades, span humorously earthy quips (e.g. "touching the tiger's buttocks"), fearsome saber-rattling, and other calculated tantrums (e.g. Mao's diatribes on his lack of fear of atomic weapons when China still was without the Bomb) - all of which promise to be a good hearty read. Kissinger in his polished fashion is gentle, even generous in describing friend and foe, domestic or foreign; when necessary he resorts to adjectives such as "prolix" and "mordant." None can write a book on modern China without coming to grips with the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre. Dr. Kissinger's account has drawn criticism from many quarters, The penchant of the former National Security Advisor and Secretary of State for secrecy is legendary. His perceived disdain for imposing democracy and the knee-jerk advancement of human rights (such as the little triangle between China-Vietnam-Khmer Rouge) have also earned him many critics. The New York Times has noted that "the severest test of the quasi alliance, of course, was the brutal suppression of democratic strivings in Tiananmen Square in 1989," and "that violent crackdown also tested Kissinger’s tolerance for the assertion of American values in foreign relations." In his defense, it must be said that Kissinger, at all times, gives priority to the perpetuation of cooperation between China and the USA. His highest values, perhaps as a result of infantry combat experience during the Allied advance on Berlin and subsequent civilian work for nuclear arms control during the Cold War, are found ultimately in the effort to avoid tensions that may precipitate war. Kissinger must be somberly read in all the chapters for anyone to come to any conclusion on this complex balancing of values, but perhaps this quote from the book can get the inquiry started: “The best outcome in the American debate would be to combine the two approaches: for the idealists to recognize that principles need to be implemented over time and hence must be occasionally adjusted to circumstance; and for the ‘realists’ to accept that values have their own reality and must be built into operational policies.” Dr. Kissinger closes his tome with that well worn Question, "Does History Repeat Itself?" Well versed in the peace protocols attempted at Westphalia onwards to Yalta (-Potsdam), he seeks to extend the lessons of 20th century Europe, including a presentation of the Eyre Crowe Memorandum on pre-World War I Germany to interactions with China in the 21st. China now as the newest superpower will more and more bring her understanding of "Bringing Peace Under Heaven" (平天下 - ping tian xia) to bear on affairs of the world. So, we come full circle to that first question - does Henry really understand Chinese? This question has fascinated me for a while. Even after reading "On China" a few times over, it is not very apparent or clear that Henry does understand Chinese. All the salient conversations he recounts in the book were conducted through English-Chinese interpreters. He never incorporated Chinese script in his book. In the Preface, he acknowledged that the lawyer Schuyler Schouten assisted with translations of Chinese documents. Nonetheless, it will not surprise me that over the years Dr. Kissinger indeed has mastered a working command of a difficult language, but in the best traditions of the land of Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons, he has, perhaps out of modesty, or more likely, pragmatism, never professed his competence.1 1 Unlike President Jiang Zemin, who according to Kissinger, "with non-Chinese visitors, ... regularly incorporated English or Russian or even Romanian expressions into his presentations to emphasize a point - shifting without warning between a rich sense of Chinese classical idioms and such American colloquialisms as 'it takes two to tango.'" |
枪杆子里面出政权 POLITICAL POWER COMES OUT OF THE BARREL OF THE GUN. 毛泽东 Mao Zedong (aka Mao Tse-tung) THIS IS NOT THE USA! |
THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR has gotten bigger - we are now on the air weekly on public radio WAIF-CINCINNATI 88.3 FM and our broadcast time has moved to prime-time THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR CONTINUES 20 YEARS ON THE AIR WITH WAIF 88.3 FM - Date of First Broadcast: 6/7/2001 THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR will continue to feature talk, and music, and other good things with a discernable slant towards Asian American affairs, immigration, and many other issues of interest to our community-at-large. THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR is produced and hosted by Charleston Wang, Esq. with John G. O'Neill. as co-host, together with our distinguished guests. So, tune in to THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR on WAIF-CINCINNATI 88.3 FM. every Monday 5-6 PM. Get the latest on the Asian American community in Cincinnati, the fast growing & mobile community in the Tri-state. After listening to the THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR, e-mail us direct feedback and thoughts by clicking here. If you or a friend wish to be a guest on THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR, please let us know. Tune in to THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR every Monday 5 - 6 PM on WAIF 88.3 FM Cincinnati on the air, or listen Via internet streaming audio from anywhere in the world by clicking here. Charleston C. K. Wang, Producer & Host John G. O'Neill, Co-Host |
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Jesus said “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” Matthew 19:14 The Holy Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral in the City of Cincinnati |
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LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP FAIR A.S.C. AFRICAN SOLIDARITY OF CINCY August 14th 2021 11Am to 1 PM 6819 Vine Street Cincinnati, OH 45216 For more information afrisolcincy@gmail.com telephone 1-859-409-6500 |
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AFRICAN SOLIDARITY OF CINCINNATI LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP FAIR August 14, 2021 at the Williim Frances Theatre International Events Center Je suis très heureuse de faire partie d'un groupe qui peut vraiment faire une différence! |
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WELCOME DEAN OWEN C. THOMPSON CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, CINCINNATI, OHIO, USA, September 12, 2021. |