China’s Ukraine Dilemma: The shaping of a new world order

Yue Parkinson is uniquely placed to interpret China to the West and the West to China, and in this her second Bite-Sized Book she illuminates as no other writer can what the Chinese position is and how the West can work with China in the new world order.

China’s decision in the Ukraine war has confused the West.

It has been trying to show its neutral position, and hasn’t condemned Putin, saying in the Chinese State media that it’s a military action, rather than an invasion. By and large, China’s state media has followed the Russian description of the war. At the same time, China has been telling Biden and the EU they prefer a peaceful Europe. The West has been hoping China can be a peace negotiator, but so far, they have been disappointed. Biden warned President Xi in a video talk not to support Russians with arms. So far China has been carrying on doing business with Russia, ignoring the sanction call from the US.

Why did China disappoint the West? Because the Western liberal doesn’t know the Chinese Realist mindset, let alone the difference between the Western 19th century realist mindset and the 21st century Chinese realist mindset. In the same way, Chinese Realist mindset will never be able to understand that formal Western Realism has evolved into Liberalism which has led to diplomacy, trust, and kindness being based upon international law. In the eyes of some Chinese, the Westerners are stupid because they are kind and trust people so much, which is insane.