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Q: Can China ever become a trusted international power as long as it runs on 'guanxi'?
Both on the trading and diplomatic side of things, can China truly keep its own and become a recognized (and respected) player on the international scene as long as guanxi's the name of the game domestically?
In my eyes, China is not the only country where "guangxi" exists. Maybe by that name yes, but influence and bribes do exist on many other countries too. In many Central and South America countries is also very common, in Mexico for example is called a "mordida" (a bite), other places call it "grease" to get the wheels turning smoothly, etc.
The key word on your question is to me "trusted". In order to have trust, you must earn respect first with your actions. And if by your actions you do not gain respect by ignoring copyrights, doing only things if only for your advantage, and many other things, you will not earn respect from other powers, and will make it very difficult for you ( or any one else in similar circumstances) to be fully trusted.
The name of the game is to win a few, and also to loose a few. No way you can try to win them all and still be a trusted member. Sometimes the betterment of the whole must rule over the betterment of a few.
Jíliú.hé:
the Irish in MA used to have bag men they where the people who held the bag the bribe money went in. example he don't give that to me give it to my bag man. man Boston was messed up back in the day just read a little about Whitey.
To be a respected international player, you must play by the rules. China often doesn't play by the rules as its interests will always come at first, and people won't be able to criticize the actions of the Chinese government (for example : Sudan, former Yugoslavia, Syria, etc.). Other Western countries also put their interests first in their foreign policy, but they are also subject to the critics (bad or good) of their citizen back at home, which in turn may influence a country's domestic policy because of demonstration, protests, strikes, etc. and a country's political shaping (more liberal, more leftist or rightist).
To be a respected international player, China would a need to talk on equal foot with his most direct ally (North Korea), which it doesn't. China is absolutely unable to control or manage the reactions of North Korea either domestically or internationally.
Besides that, for a country to be a respected international player, it doesn't come with the government on its own, but with the people who make, who develop the country, and
a) Chinese are generally unaware or uninterested about what happens worldwide (except if it is related to China),
b) Chinese have very often a little opinion about politics and geopolitics,
c) Chinese are not educated to be creative, to use imagination, to be people with opinions and able to criticize their government, they are just educated to be "robots" and "productive" for the whole economy or the survival of the party.
In my opinion, because of these reasons and without any changes, China cannot become a respected international player. It can however become (or remain) a feared international player.
dandmcd:
Good post, but I would like to say I can easily argue America also is guilt of point a( and b), with c) being the only one I can agree the USA is better at.
Guanxi will be the downfall of China as it continues to grow. If it wants to be respected and play apart in the world it needs to remove the guanxi mentality.
As a lawyer and a Canadian American, I would say guanxi is the name of every ones game, the exception is China doesn't hide it very well while us North Americans hide it extremely well until the dead prostitute ends up in someones house or apartment.
nevermind:
I don't understand how being either a lawyer or a dual citizen qualifies you to make this statement.
boqievents:
Err...I'm also a qualified lawyer, who quit the legal profession because it's full of assholes.
How can you say guan xi is the same as in the west? I'm sorry but even if I'm well connected, have money, if I plough my car into someone, the judge will treat me essentially the same as someone from any other walk of life in the UK. Because you have a powerful father, who owns say Google, doesn't mean tha tthe police will let you go because he paid enough money.
Also, because you know the judge and bought him a large LV briefcase and fine wine doesn't mean he will automatically win in your favour, in fact, doing soemthing like that will end up with you being done for perverting the cause of justice...
Well, easy, I work in importing and exporting to and from the US and Canada. Immigration and so on. Would you like to know why so many Chinese get things into and out of North America, would you like to know how the corrupted government officials and their children gain easy access to North America. Should I continue. I was speaking about the government not local or federal judges guys
This came from the Wall Street Journal thought it might give more insight about what I was talking about: The Center for Public Integrity released a report detailing the risk of corruption and lack of accountability in all 50 states last week. The findings of the report should worry anyone who believes state governments are transparent and free of corruption. Of course, no state is without flaws. Unfortunately, nearly every state received a grade that would give residents cause for concern.
The Center for Public Integrity’s report examined issues concerning accountability and ethics in each state government. States were graded on 330 separate metrics, which were grouped into 14 major categories. Overall grades are based on the average grades in the major categories, which included lobbying disclosure, political financing, internal auditing, ethics enforcement agencies and redistricting.
