Western theory can no longer explain China and the world
—— Visit the University of Virginia Professor Ronter Brantley Walker
March 19, 2024 11:18 Source: "China Social Sciences" March 19, 2024 Issue 2855 Author: Li Xiaoyan

  

 

 

   Professor Rontly Womack of the Department of Political Science at the University of Virginia, the Department of Political Science at the University of Virginia, has begun to study China in the 1980s since the 1980s,It has always maintained a high degree of attention to China's political and social development over the years,​​Not only does it praise China's achievements in the socialist revolution and construction,Still spare no effort to drive his students and research colleagues to come to China,Real and objective conclusions are obtained through field surveys。Professor Professor Walker's Chinese research began in regional countries,Gradually to the height of the theory of international relations,In the observation and explanation of the long -term interaction process of "China -World",He defines the profound changes in the international pattern of the Cold War with the "Multinodal World",Proposal "asymmetric attention" is an international relationship variable that is not to be ignored as "asymmetric strength"。On the one hand, he carefully defines his theory as "dialectical realism",Another part of the advent of the "global international relations" era is positive open attitude。The mainstream voices in the international relations of the United States are increasingly met in today's Policy Practicalism,Professor Professor Walker's Chinese research particularly highlights the valuable academic independence。

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Li Xiaoyan: Time to this day,Your "Basis of Mao Zedong's Political Thought (1917-1935)" is still one of the classic works of "Overseas Mao Zedong Thought" by Chinese academic circles。Can you talk about how you transformed from the initial study of Mao Zedong's thoughts to study Chinese politics? What attracted you to learn more about China?

Walmak: When I was studying a doctorate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago,Fortunately, Professor Zou Yan under the door,It was he instructed me to establish a research interest on China's political mechanism in the 20th century。1986,Professor Zou Yan invited to Peking University as an honorary professor,I recommend me to teach at the University of Chicago。My instructor and my instructor thinks,The rural revolution led by Mao Zedong is the key to China's full crisis in the first half of the 20th century。Revolutionary Realism of Mao Zedong Thought helped the Communist Party of China fundamentally realize the change of Chinese politics。Reform Bet365 lotto review and opening up began in 1978 is another political practice shift under Deng Xiaoping,The success of the reform and opening up and the challenges that followed with it have the same far -reaching historical significance with the victory of the Chinese Revolution in 1949。If the rural revolution mainly happens in China,Reform and opening up is inseparable from the increasingly close interaction with other countries including global powers。After implementing the reform and opening up policy,China's development has experienced complex interaction between domestic and international factors。The establishment of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone has become a window for China to open to the outside world,Gradually transition to neighbors facing the Asia -Pacific region,Until the 1990s, China achieved direct openness and international cooperation to the world。China's development practice deeply attracted me,It has also shaped my continuous research trajectory for more than 40 years。My Chinese political research has always been based on the political change led by the Communist Party of China。The purpose of change is to promote China's development,The successful experience of change is to adhere to the principle of openness,constantly absorb new knowledge and new experience。To a large extent,This is also the vitality and charm of China's development,Research motivation to bring me a steady stream of research。

Li Xiaoyan: Observe China from the starting point of the implementation of reform and opening up policies,It can be said that your research is always inseparable from a theme, that is, the relationship between China and the world。What do you think of the relationship between China and the world,Especially the relationship between China and the Asia -Pacific region?

Walmak: The relationship between China and the world is determined by the national conditions and history of China。I compare the point of view of historian Wang Gengwu,Two parallel water systems -the Yangtze River and the Yellow River bred China's agricultural civilization,The vast vast makes China's population and productivity higher than that of neighboring countries,The stability of culture has made China develop a political civilization based on historical memory。China's population always accounts for more than half of the population of East Asia,Before industrialization,China’s silk、Tea and ceramic production also have a considerable scale,Welcome to foreign markets。China in history is a central country rather than a rule of rule,Compared with the empire expansion,China is more pursuing the stability of relationships。The core of the tribute system is that the neighbor's obedience to the obedience to the status of the Chinese center in exchange for its recognition of its Bet365 app download autonomy。In modern history,China, which has experienced Western imperialism, unfortunately became the edge of global order under the dominance of Western centralism。After the founding of the People's Republic of China,Not only must we rebuild domestic order,It is also necessary to break through the restraint of the cold war between the polar pattern。China has broken the shackles since the 20th century、The new historical period of returning to regional center has attracted my research interest。In half a century,China has once again become the center of the region with its population scale and industrial output。China has achieved a win -win development,The interaction between China and the world is a voluntary cooperation based on mutual benefit,instead of relying on hegemony。Now the Asia -Pacific region not only fuses with China, but also has a fusion with the world,China is the center of the region,It is also a global country。

 The next "Gold Thirty Years" for the development of Asia Pacific

Li Xiaoyan: The development of China is inseparable from the world,cannot be separated from Asia。From joining the "ASEAN 10+3" mechanism to signing the "Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement",It can be said,China has always achieved its own development in the active exchanges and cooperation with Asian partner countries。Please talk about the relationship between China's development and the prosperity of Asia。

Walmak: Indeed,The Asia -Pacific region played an important role in the rise of China。1978,Deng Xiaoping proposed that China wants to "emancipate the mind,Seeking truth from facts "。South Korea and Singapore are not imperialist countries,But with productivity, it successfully ranked among the global economic power.。If other countries can succeed,Of course, China can also succeed。Later,Japan becomes a "leader" for regional cooperation,China has also joined the regional network。The same important thing is,ASEAN's open attitude towards China and the Asia -Pacific region has also encouraged intergovernmental cooperation,The success of the China -ASEAN Free Trade Zone, which was launched in 2002, promoted the creation of the "Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement" that was officially effective in 2022,Reached the world's largest free trade agreement。So say,The development of China is accompanied by the prosperity of Asia Pacific、complement each other。

Li Xiaoyan: 2023,President Xi Jinping put forward when attending the 30th leader of the Asia -Pacific Economic Cooperation Organization,"As a global growth engine,Asia Pacific shoulder a greater time responsibility ",and call on countries to jointly build the next "Gold Thirty Years" for the development of Asia Pacific。How do you interpret bet365 Play online games this? About the development of the Asia -Pacific region,What are the most critical impact factors do you think?

Walmak: I agree with President Xi Jinping’s discussion。The Asia -Pacific region shall play a core role for the sustainable global economic growth。The area has considerable natural resources,More importantly,Economy in the Asia -Pacific region has worked together to build a diversity in the global economy、The high -yield economic area of ​​the interaction。The Asia Pacific I understand is mainly the Asian region in the Pacific Ocean。pragmatic,Part of the pressure from the United States,Asia Pacific is becoming a coordinated economic regional concept。The financial crisis in 2008 made China the focus of attention in the Asia -Pacific region。"Following" the significance at the international relations level is one of my research priorities in recent years,I can explain it in detail later。The current economic scale of the Asia -Pacific region exceeds the total of the United States and the European Union,The degree of integration has also increased。The growth of the Asia -Pacific region depends on China,China's development also depends on the Asia -Pacific region。China is already a global country,Asia Pacific region is related to the foundation of China's international strength。At the same time,We notice without worry,Traditional security threats to the destruction of the peaceful development situation of the world's political economy including the Asia -Pacific region。This is in the process of leading to the next "Gold Thirty Years",The Asia -Pacific region has to face and solve the challenge。

  Asymmetric and "Multiple World"

Li Xiaoyan: Your theoretical monograph "Asymmetric and International Relations" 2016 was published by Cambridge University Press, England。The theoretical research in the international relations community has entered the background of the dim era,Chinese readers are very interested in your theoretical views,What factor prompts you to propose a system's non -symmetrical theory?

Wama: You are right,Western international relations theory has basically been basically unable to explain China's rise and the development of the Asia -Pacific region。Western international relations theory concentratedly explains the conflict between the big power and the great power。When I was in a graduate student,Professor Zou Yan suggested that I do not stick to the theory of Western international relations,Because this is not suitable for China。From 1985,I started studying the asymmetric relationship between China and Vietnam。I am convinced,The diplomatic culture of the international relations in the Asia -Pacific region is fundamentally different from the Western paradigm bet365 Play online games dominated by big powers,So I wrote the book "China and Vietnam: Asymmetric Politics"。But when I think about international relations in the general sense,I found,non -symmetrical international relations are another general paradigm。This is why I write the book "Asymmetric and International Relationship" about the theory。

Li Xiaoyan: That is to say,Asymmetric theory changes the way to understand international relations。Except for non -symmetrical concepts,I noticed,"Multi -Festival World" is another term you use,Different from the "multi -polarization" we often say。Can you please explain in detail what is "multi -festival world"?

Walker: Although the idea of ​​multi -pole world order is better than the polar or single -pole system,But there are defects,Multi -pole means that some countries are "pole" and other countries are not。The world today is very complicated,Each country holds its own point of view in its international relations,Make your own decision。Globalization makes international relations more tight to some extent。other,Although the relative power is still important,But in the dense international relations network,Requirement methods are more difficult to be used。The concept of the "Multi -Festival World" system allows us to see the complexity of the relationship between the country as a "node"。The perspective of each "node" is determined by strength and location,All parties try to reduce the uncertainty in its relationship。The size and position of each country are different,The size and position of each country are different,Not bystander。

Li Xiaoyan: Do you think "asymmetric attention" and "asymmetric strength" are the same important international relations。Can you understand this,means,What you deny is not actually power decision theory,but the structure of the structure determination,What you mainly answered is that if the United States has the absolute advantage of the power structure, it has changed,All international relations, including the United States, must re -understand the relationship between yourself and the world?

Walmak: One of the fundamental issues of Western international relations theory is that it assumes that the difference between power between the country is not balanced,But power is the dominant role。Obviously,The United States in Cuba、Vietnam、The failure of Iraq and Afghanistan is not applicable to such an explanation。Power is real -the above countries have suffered suffering,But power cannot play a dominant role。Why is this? Because the small country is facing a major danger,And the big country was just involved in a "small war" that thought it could be easily won。The basics of asymmetric relationship are actually,The relationship between the small country is even Bet365 app download more affected by the relationship,Therefore, its perception of the relationship is completely different。For both parties,The wise approach should be a peaceful control relationship,instead of giving pressure。However, even if the war is unsuccessful,It is difficult for the United States to adjust the relative decline of their own power and the necessity of seriously controlling the asymmetric relationship。The Cold War thinking in the United States is particularly narrow on the global stage。The real global international relations theory must respect the geographical nature of different perspectives,But it is necessary to cope with more and more common concern。

  Know the deep thinking from reading the classics

Li Xiaoyan: We all recognize that today's world political economy has undergone profound changes,Can't use the old theoretical interpretation of international relations,I can no longer handle international relations in accordance with the old rules。So,In your opinion,International relations is expected to be more nationalist in the future、The direction of regionalism,Or will it move towards a new type of globalism?

Walmak: The international relations of the 21st century have indeed undergone unprecedented changes,Need to think about it fundamentally。China has become the world's largest manufacturing country,Asia -Pacific region has become the largest economic area in the world,and the total economic volume of emerging markets and developing countries in 2008 has exceeded developed countries。Today's world is the world of globalization,It is also the world of post -hegemony。Relative strength is still important,But countries are in a matrix of an asymmetric relationship,In the vertical level order of power。There are more choices in various countries,At the same time, it also faces greater uncertainty。So,The primary strategic goals of various countries are to reduce uncertainty and pursue their own well -being。The key to success is to act carefully,and develop stable development with partners、The relationship between mutual respect,To ensure what uncertainty is facing in the future,Partners will always be in。

Li Xiaoyan: Yes,We believe,Adhere to international cooperation can you see the future of common development。In this era of great change,What research suggestions do you want to make for young scholars in the field of international relations? Especially as a senior Chinese research expert,What efforts do you think of our academic peers in our two countries in strengthening China and America's cultural exchanges?

Walmck: For international relations researchers,The current world has entered an exciting era,Because new things are endless。At the same time,This is also a confusing bet365 Play online games era,Because it is difficult to maintain balance、Careful strategic prospects。My suggestion is to be sensitive to new things,But put new things in the right position。Young scholars should understand deep thinking from reading classics,For example, pipe、Lao Tzu,Because deep thinking is long -lasting。About Sino -US relations,I think the two parties have entered a difficult period。At present, the United States has fallen into the increasingly severe dilemma in the internal affairs and diplomacy,and the United States tends to blame China about its own problems。But,China's situation is stable,The United States hardly causes a real threat to China,It is more likely to isolate yourself instead of China。So,China does not need to over -react to hostility in the United States,To encourage the improvement of the relationship between the two parties。Of course,China also focuses on the relationship between developing with other developing countries and developed countries in the world,Especially the relationship with other countries in the Asia -Pacific region。

  (This article is the Study Research on Multilateralism and World Order in the Era of the State Social Science Fund "in the post -epidemic era" (21BGJ067) phased achievement)

(Author is an associate professor at the School of Political and Public Management of China University of Political Science and Law)

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