A China Daily year-ender (15 December) puts the finger on China's major hotspots around the globe in the Year of the Dragon as the US, depsite economic anaemia and disfunctional politics, sharply re-focusses on American power in the Asia Pacific and as global dynamics are rapidly changing in the Arab world and beyond with potentially disruptive threats to China's stability. Click here
The Year of the Dragon merely marks a major turning of the tide in a more unstable and uncertain world full of black swans. These include a festering European sovereign debt crisis which may engulf the the whole world, potentially epochal changes of leadership across the globe including Presidential elections in the US, Russia and France and a leadership transition in China (as well as the Hong Kong SAR). Added to these are increasing resource scarcity and climate chaos and a rising citizenry against inequalities in different parts of the world as diverse as the United States, the Middle East and Russia.
It seems that neither Deng Xiaopoing's "bide-your-time-and-hide-your-light-under-the-bushel" strategy nor gung-ho confrontational nationalism would be realistic in serving China's, if not the world's, best interests.
While China is likely to remain extremely cautious and prudent in feeling the stepping stones, there is no doubt China needs to recalibrate her national strategies in crossing the river.
Best wishes for the Year of the Dragon,
Andrew
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