How should the West view China's rising economic power?

With a healthy mix of optimism and caution, sprinkled on with ample servings of communication

The relationship between between the West and China is the most significant geopolitical event of our generation and probably that for our children and grandchildren as well. Some say that conflict or war is inevitable but I think those people are just a bunch of Debbie Downers.

Right now the relationship is relatively young and immature and it has the potential to go in any direction. My hope of course is that this relationship becomes the basis for a 21st century of peace and prosperity unparalleled in recorded human history.

Our optimistic sides should recognize that there are many shared interests between China and the West:

• Secure trading routes

• A secure macro-economic environment

• Prevention of Extinction-Level Events like thermonuclear war and climate change-induced environmental disaster

We should always be open to the possibility that there are practical ways to work together even if we do not always see eye-to-eye on everything.

Our cautious side should recognize that every nation-state is driven by self-interest and China is no different. China will only care about you to the extent you can help China prosper. If they think they will be more secure if they can develop next-generation cyberwarfare capabilities, you should assume they are going to do so and take appropriate measures. You should assume that they want to figure out how to reverse-engineer the various technologies and institutions that form the basis for our high quality of life – and carefully weigh the pros and cons of doing business there. We should recognize that there will always be nationalists on both sides (a.k.a. “xenophobes”) that will naturally push their view of a zero-sum “winner takes all” world.

Conflicts and flash points are inevitable, but more serious conflagrations can be avoided through constant and consistent communication. Not the type of communication where one side is lecturing the other or trying to take some sort of moral high ground but the type of level-headed communication where – even if no agreement can be found – both sides come out with a better understanding of each other.

Both sides should also recognize that the natures of media and politicians demand that they be inclined to sensationalize everything and we as citizens need to look through this noise. Nation-to-nation relationships are not built out on the front pages of newspapers, but in the long and painstaking process of building communication linkages at all levels of government. Citizens can do the same thing here, by keeping an open mind and being willing to communicate with citizens on the other side.

Only by doing this can we reduce the ignorance, temper our nationalistic/xenophobic tendencies and ultimately view each as humans not enemies.