China has only one rule of settling things with its neighbors - its way or the highway.
It treats Taiwan like an errant student for showing a hint of what it sees as a move for self-determination, despite their agreed-upon principle of “one China, two systems.” It cruelly squashes the rights of the people of Hong Kong, going back on its promise of granting them special status.
Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore as well as other countries in the region have grounds to be concerned about China’s aggression over territorial disputes, for instance. Remember Beijing scoffed at the ruling against it by an international court in its dispute with the Philippines over sovereignty in the South China Sea.
By this unilateral standard, Beijing is applying pressure on South Korea, over the latter’s decision for self-protection by allowing the U.S. to deploy missile interceptors against North Korea’s increasing nuclear and missile threats. South Korea’s neighborly efforts to explain the necessity of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) have fallen on deaf ears in China.
China has gone against an international effort to punish the North for its fourth nuclear test in September, although it has said it opposes the North’s nuclear armaments because of its threat against regional peace and stability.
In dealing with Seoul, Beijing has acted in a condescending and rude way. China has kept mum about a “return” visit by Defense Minister Han Min-koo following up his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan’s visit to Seoul in February last year. It has also failed to respond to calls for the annual vice ministers’ meeting held since 2011. These moves come on the heels of Chinese Ambassador Qiu Guohong‘s threat that Seoul would pay the price for its THAAD decision.
True, China is big and powerful both militarily and economically. That alone can’t let it gain the kind of respect it is eager to have if it bullies its neighbors, ignores international laws and fails to keep its end of the deal with other countries.
Beijing leaders are advised to pay attention to the history of their own ethnic heritage, the Han tribe that most of them belong to, being attacked by tribes rising from the fringes for, among other reasons, insisting on “my-way-or-the-highway” policies with neighbors.
They may continue to act like they have been doing this but at the risk of repeating history.
It’s time for China to stop being puerile and mature to the level of its newly found power and riches. The world needs a grown-up China that balances its own interests with those of others. Learn from the U.S., even for the lack of a better example.