China cannot be trusted and Robert Sutter tells us why. In pages after pages, the author gives ample reasons that, as a rising power, China has to be watched carefully.
According to Sutter's theory, historically, China has had hegemonic ambitions. Not only she portrays her own struggles as of universal significance, she also keeps a close watch of countries around her periphery as if they are naturally within her sphere of influence. Her political leaders are hypersensitive to criticisms and tend to behave defensively. The Chinese plot their policies and strategies, not much guided by principles but mainly on a case-by-case bases. They are more likely to go after short-term gains than for long-term benefits. As a result, Chinese foreign policy tends to be capricious and disruptive. In Sino-US relations in particular, China has been long suspicious of U.S. ulterior motives and is actively hedging against U.S. policies through bilateral and regional actions.
In the same vein, Sutter views China's recently totted "peaceful rising" with suspicion. Whether China has truly renounced aggressive posture in her international dealings, or she just says so to "bid time" in order to secure economic growth, remains to be seen. As how to engage a rising China, Sutter sees Bush administration's approach as a potential model: keep her at arms length, do not give any unwarranted expectations (as Clinton administration has purportedly done), and stand firm.
My personal observation is, although there is some truth to many of his assertion, Sutter's ultimate fallacy is that he uses a liberalist standard to criticize China in order to justify U.S. own realist strategy.
For example, Sutter interprets China's proposal of opening its agricultural market to ASEAN countries as a way to undercut Japanese or Korean positions (p82). This is so anti-liberal for its Machiavellian motive, he seems to argue, it is yet another example of why China cannot be trusted. But even if we put aside the merit of such a decision in itself, and to look at parallels in U.S. policies, such a criticism is as unjustified as it is hypocritical. Since the WTO meeting in Cancun, U.S. Trade Representative has repeatedly offered to cut U.S. domestic agriculture subsides, not only to advance American agenda, but also to put pressure on the Europeans. The consensus in this case, however, is that America is exerting her leadership role in promoting Free Trade.
In his "China's International Relations" essay in Samuel Kim's book, Alastair Iain Johnston observed that some of the "China Threat" talks are self-fulfilling prophesies (has anyone mentioned Cuba being a victim of such prophesy?) I'd argue China Skeptics such as Sutter are no different. China's in U.S. crosshair today is not entirely her own fault, it is more or less because what she is or what she can be, especially in a world according to the U.S. For example, other world powers-that-be, like the European Union, is never that concerned about China's potential as another USSR. Other than some spousal disputes like economic matters, E.U. and China are getting along just fine---if not too close to U.S.'s liking, as in the recent case of proposed lifting of arms sales ban by the E.U. Even the herbivore countries living along the fringe of the dragon's cave are not so concerned with impending subjugation as a result of China's rise---as Sutter implies what could happen. On the contrary, some of them are acting as brakes to U.S. check on China. Even Australia told U.S. not to automatically count on her support had a conflict in Taiwan Strait broke out.
If Sutter does not consider himself as part of the China bashing gang, he must hold a very high standard of who is--- maybe the likes of University of Chicago's John Mearsheimer? Around the same time I read this book, I heard a media interview with James McGregor, a businessman/author. Although his criticism of China is no less harsh at times, he is at least coherent---China is just another business opportunity. If your objective is to make profit, you will have to learn to live with reality. Unfortunately, for analysts like Mr. Sutter, their job is to constantly look out for the surreal.
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