American ‘China Hands’

Source:Global Times Published: 2012-10-25 0:40:03

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger attends the 20th anniversary of the Johns Hopkins University, Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies, on June 23, 2007. Photo: CFP
Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger attends the 20th anniversary of the Johns Hopkins University, Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies, on June 23, 2007. Photo: CFP



The past few decades have seen the emergence of many well-financed think tanks, dedicated scholars and influential pundits in the US, who have just one main research subject: China. They range from the Fairbank Center established by John King Fairbank in 1955, the first of its kind to support and promote advanced research and training in all fields of Chinese studies, to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which boasts a number of programs focusing on China. From books such as The Coming Conflict with China by the representatives of the New China Threat school of thought, Richard Bernstein and Ross Munro in 1998, to The Three Faces of Chinese Power by David Lampton in 2008, the engagement of several generations of US experts with China reflects the complex history of the Sino-US relationship.

First generation

John King Fairbank was probably the earliest and the most prominent of American "China Hands." Born in 1907, he was one of just a few people who predicted the victory of the Communist Party of China and advocated establishing relations with the new government. However, he was targeted for criticism by many for promoting the spread of Communism and Soviet influence.

Nonetheless, he insisted that the US should get to know the history of another world power. In 1948, he published The United States and China, in which he recognized the lack of good information, historically and politically, about the country. The book introduced to US audiences various aspects of China. It was one of the few books that both Richard Nixon and his Chinese counterparts read prior to the president's 1972 visit.

Arthur Doak Barnett and Robert Scalapino were another two leading scholars and government advisors on China in the early days. It was Barnett who coined the phrase "containment without isolation" at Senator Fulbright's hearings on China policy in 1966, which described a diplomatic opening that still recognized China's danger. In the 1960s, he advocated a more innovative and realistic US policy toward "Red China."

Zhao Quansheng, professor of international relations and director of the Center for Asian Studies at American University, told the Global Times that there were two main reasons behind the interest of American scholars researching China.

"The first is China's millennia-long culture, which represents Oriental civilization. It has vast research value from an academic view. The second is the realistic need for policymaking."

Zhao points out, "It became even more imperative to study China in the post-Cold War era, when China began to rise and the so-called 'power transition' began to take shape. Now there is more demand for understanding China, not only its politics and culture, but also its society, economics and many other related issues."

Second generation

However, it is the second generation of "China Hands" that has witnessed China's reform and opening-up, and as a result, China's rise.

David Lampton belongs to "generation 2.5" of "China Hands," as he calls it. He has made many of his own policy suggestions.  When he was president of the National Committee on US-China Relations, he conducted field research into China's urban and rural areas. Now Lampton, 66, still plays an active role, serving on the Board of Advisors for the National Bureau of Asian Research and the executive committee of the National Committee on US-China Relations.

In Lampton's eyes, the principal experience that shaped the first generation of "China Hands" was World War II and many other pre-1949 experiences, including the missionary experience, in China. With respect to his generation, it was the Vietnam War that shaped his peers' view of the country.

"Much of my generation thought that the war was a huge strategic misstep and misreading of Asian history. We thought nationalism was the force in Asia, not Communist extension," Lampton said.

US experts believe that their views of China are complex. Intellectually, US policy seems to be poised between an acceptance of China's rise as a great power and an attempt to limit that rise.

"People think about what China will do and how it will behave as it re-emerges as a great power. There were a lot of discussions about this topic in the past, but now the re-rise of China is a fact," said Bonnie Glaser, senior fellow in the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, who can be categorized as belonging to the second generation, having written extensively on China threat perceptions.

"However, there are competing views about China in every period, including now. I would underscore that's a good thing," said Glaser.

Younger generation

Lampton noted that a rising younger generation of China scholars has begun to play a vital role in the Sino-US relationship. While they can study in China, they also have a more concrete and focused knowledge of the country.

"The younger generation doesn't have the personal experience with the consequences of conflicts with China. As it gets older and more experienced, it will become more strategic thinking. But for now, the problem they have is how to integrate all this specific knowledge into a more strategic view of China," Lampton said.



Posted in: Americas

blog comments powered by Disqus