Other
Michael D. Swaine
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Source: Getty
In The Media
No Collision Course
Many Sinologists have labored for years to disabuse lay readers of the notion that contemporary China is a modern-day imperial dynasty bent on dominating Asia and beyond.
Published on Jun 30, 2017
Source: New York Times
To the Editor:
Judith Shapiro’s review (June 18) of two recent books by Howard W. French (“Everything Under the Heavens”) and Graham Allison (“Destined for War”) uncritically reinforces two prevailing myths about modern China. Many Sinologists have labored for years to disabuse lay readers of the notion that contemporary China is a modern-day imperial dynasty bent on dominating Asia and beyond. But Shapiro (channeling French) buys into this delusion without any qualms.
Similarly, many international relations specialists have incisively challenged Allison’s flawed application of the so-called Thucydides’s Trap to Sino-United States relations, yet Shapiro sees the argument as confirmation of French. The overall result is yet another simplistic affirmation of the “China threat” thesis.
MICHAEL D. SWAINE
WASHINGTON
This letter to the editor was originally published in the New York Times.
About the Author
Michael D. Swaine
Former Senior Fellow, Asia Program
Swaine was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and one of the most prominent American analysts in Chinese security studies.
- What Kind of Global Order Should Washington and Beijing Strive For?
- A Smarter U.S. Strategy for China in Four StepsCommentary
Michael D. Swaine
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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