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Language competence matters. Being culturally sensitive helps. But proper #China #competence requires a clear understanding *how* the Chinese party-state suppresses liberal democratic thought and practice, both at home and abroad. A short thread /1 https://www.chinafile.com/document-9-chinafile-translation
Speaking fluent Mandarin Chinese and being able to suspend judgment in intercultural encounters can help China specialists and China practitioners develop constructive people-to-people relations. But it isn't a panacea for Western China engagement /2 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3114396/coronavirus-uk-ambassador-china-marks-bond-wuhan-amid-pandemic
There cannot be anything resembling #China #competence w/o a critical understanding of how the Chinese party-state manipulates the domestic & global discourse on China with the help of its United Front System and the 'three warfares' @PLMattis /3 https://warontherocks.com/2018/01/chinas-three-warfares-perspective/
"The party’s overseas propaganda has two consistent themes: ‘We own the future, so make your adjustments now.’ And: ‘We’re just like you, so try not to worry.’ Together, these assertions form the elaborate con at the heart of all Leninist movements.” /4 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/18/uk-and-china-how-the-love-affair-faded
The task for Western China specialists is to strike a balance between an empathetic approach to Chinese culture & (civil) society, whilst developing a sober and realistic understanding of the effects of an increasingly totalitarian political system under General Secretary Xi /End
