The Chinese aren’t psychopaths, but Americans fear they are

Approximately a year ago, I had spoken with a brilliant political strategist based in Washington DC. I asked a simple question:  What do Americans really think about the Chinese? He responded with typical anti-China comments, such as expressing concerns over Beijing’s alleged plans to attack Taiwan no later than 2027.

He also described how China intends to defeat the USA in a war in the near future. Meanwhile, he suggested the Pentagon is planning their counter-attacks and the Chinese government and PLA (People’s Liberation Army) should not feel over-confident and underestimate the resolve of the US Armed Forces, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member states, as well as its alliances with a number of Asian-Pacific nations to fight back.

Accordingly, I asked if he and all his networks in Washington DC foreign policy Establishment circles also believe that China will wage war with the USA in the next few years ahead? He said everybody in DC believes that will happen. Consequently, I asked: Does anyone like yourself or others in DC think that the Chinese overall might prefer world peace over warfare?

Suddenly, there was an ominous silence and he said, “I had never thought about that since nobody ever asked me that before.” I had inquired if anybody in DC had ever asked such a common sense question, especially those claiming to be experts on China? He said that nobody ever asked.

Hence, we have uncovered the core problem to US-China bilateral relations. When Americans look at the Chinese they harbor unfounded fears that their perceived geopolitical rivals are psychopaths seeking only to destroy them. And for Americans, they have concluded that anyone with the mindset of a psychopath is the most dangerous of individuals.

Many Americans can be sentimental, as well as willing to admit their flaws and weaknesses, while demonstrating tolerance for people who make mistakes or have harmed them, so long as their former foes request forgiveness and try to make amends. Such attitudes stem from our Judaeo-Christian values in which we are expected to forgive our transgressors.

Nonetheless, I stand corrected when addressing the die-hard radical Leftist Woke Democrats, who suffer from TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome). They are filled with rage, remain unforgiving and refuse to moderate their viewpoints for the common good of society. However overall, most Americans have good hearts and good motives.

Therefore, the people with psychopath character traits stand abhorrent to ordinary Americans, but that’s how they see the Chinese. They perceive them as devoid of compassionate emotions, while the Chinese must ‘save face’ by reaffirming a public image of strong-willed men and women, who lack empathy and will pounce on anyone who shows weakness or begs for forgiveness.

Meanwhile, the Chinese media and the domestic entertainment industry stir up hype by depicting the Chinese as a “super man” or “super woman,” who courageously prevail over all hardships and overcome unexpected challenges that had beset them. They portray the Chinese as heroic individuals who will rejuvenate the Chinese nation as a great civilization - the Chinese Dream, while intentionally hiding their shortcomings.

For the Chinese, they see such depictions of Chinese character traits as mere patriotism even if it’s just myth-making - not an accurate account of real life in the country. They see the ‘Strong China’ image as an attempt to inspire hope and courage in their hearts. Who doesn’t want to be a hero? Many cowards would love to become brave if not now, maybe later.

But from the perspective of many Americans, they view such Chinese propaganda as troublesome, since it appears intended to spark a militant attitude against those who are not Chinese, a “China vs. the World” zeitgeist. Americans worry that the Chinese government is training its citizens to become hardened psychopaths willing to do whatever is necessary to win the soon to be expected big war against the USA.

China’s population is more than 1.4 billion people so if indeed the Chinese stand united to fight, they hold a very good chance to crush the U.S., since that’s simple logic. China has a population, which stands about three times the size of the US. Who is the bigger bully is the one more likely to win the fight.

Nevertheless, we as Americans should ask: Are the Chinese psychopaths at heart? Does China really want World War III.? Perhaps I’m wrong by believing that many Chinese citizens are ordinary people with ordinary emotions and they prefer peace, not war. I’m a U.S. citizen, who has lived in Beijing since October 2010. I have long familiarized myself and spent time with ordinary Chinese families here. My wife is Chinese. I have witnessed the good, bad and ugly sides of China and yet have continued to live peacefully here.

Of course, I have also sometimes observed the Chinese showing irrational anger, arrogance and stubbornness but I have also seen them conveying their fears, weaknesses, and sadness, which are the same emotions that we Americans and human beings from all over the world have. Yes, I have met a few psychopaths in China as well, but there are also psychopaths in the US. The high crime rates are proof that Americans have many villains prowling around in their society.

Therefore, we Americans should express more tolerant sentiments towards the Chinese and find ways to pursue the path of peace with the country. We should stop assuming that the Chinese are psychopaths with the hearts of warmongers.

Ironically, many Chinese that I have befriended have told me that they too fear the USA, because they think Americans are psychopathic war hawks - bent on destroying China just for the sake of promoting a culture of violence.

They think the Chinese must show a strong face to Americans in order to make Washington hesitate before provoking war. In the Chinese mind, showing strength is a gesture of peace. It’s a way to give warning: I don’t want to fight but if you insist, I will hit back hard. So you decide if you want US-China ties to enjoy having a partnership for peace and prosperity in our world - or stay angry and the two great nations would remain bitter foes, which will lead to World War III. with no exit ramp to turn to.

The US and China will never have perfect diplomatic and trade relations even if a goodwill partnership ensues. But Americans and the Chinese should see each other more as human beings rather than as permanent enemies and that will go a long way to support peace.

 (Tom Pauken II., author of US vs. China: From Trade Wars to Reciprocal Deal, AFAI Senior Fellow, Geopolitical Consultant based in Beijing, China) 

X:  @tmcgregochina