As a diehard fan of Professor Kotkin, I could not help dismaying at how wrong he is when repeating the line of "China is an old civilization that has its own..."
It is from an imperialistic narrative both CCP and its civil war foe KMT peddle. /1
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It is from an imperialistic narrative both CCP and its civil war foe KMT peddle. /1
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As a geopolitical concept, China does not include Tibet, East Turkestan, Mongolia, and Manchuria.
- Left, China in the 11th century. The patch on the lower right was China;
- Right: China at 1500. The patch on the lower right was China. Blue: Mongol. Lower Left: Tibet
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- Left, China in the 11th century. The patch on the lower right was China;
- Right: China at 1500. The patch on the lower right was China. Blue: Mongol. Lower Left: Tibet
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Left, the real China. Right, China in propaganda and unfortunately, many western pundits' mind, /3
This is the Manchurian Empire that conquered China by 1662.
It has been referred to as "China" by Western powers since the 18th century.
But Chinese revolutionaries who worked hard to topple the Manchurian Empire disagreed, at least until they succeeded. /4
It has been referred to as "China" by Western powers since the 18th century.
But Chinese revolutionaries who worked hard to topple the Manchurian Empire disagreed, at least until they succeeded. /4
They went to Japan and found their allies in the Pan-Asianists who believed Asia should belong to Asians.
Prominent Pan-Asianists included Miyazaki Tลten (left, ๅฎซๅดๆปๅคฉ) and Uchida Ryลhei (right, ๅ ็ฐ่ฏๅนณ).
Right away, Pan-Asianists answered the call to help overthrow
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Prominent Pan-Asianists included Miyazaki Tลten (left, ๅฎซๅดๆปๅคฉ) and Uchida Ryลhei (right, ๅ ็ฐ่ฏๅนณ).
Right away, Pan-Asianists answered the call to help overthrow
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the Manchurian Empire, which occupied China, Tibet, East Turkestan, etc.
Because the treaties with the West are all signed by the Manchurian Empire, western powers especially Britain had little interest to help Chinese revolutionaries, and viewed Pan-Asianists as trouble. /6
Because the treaties with the West are all signed by the Manchurian Empire, western powers especially Britain had little interest to help Chinese revolutionaries, and viewed Pan-Asianists as trouble. /6
With the Pan-Asianists' help, Chinese revolutionaries finally brought down the Manchurian Empire in 1911.
This is known as the 1911 Revolution.
In 1912, Chinese revolutionaries established the Republic of China .
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This is known as the 1911 Revolution.
In 1912, Chinese revolutionaries established the Republic of China .
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Once the Manchurian occupation ended, Chinese revolutionaries started to claim all were occupied by the Manchurian Empire now belong to the new Republic of China.
Imagine Mahatma Gandhi announced that after the British Empire, Canada and Australia should belong to India. /8
Imagine Mahatma Gandhi announced that after the British Empire, Canada and Australia should belong to India. /8
Turning into Chinese nationalists imperialists, Chinese revolutionaries developed a narrative to justify occupation of Tibet and East Turkestan.
Since in the land of China, there were so many ancient dynasties, China should now own what the Manchurian Empire had.
9 /x
Since in the land of China, there were so many ancient dynasties, China should now own what the Manchurian Empire had.
9 /x
If that is true, the history of the Kanva Dynasty or the Mughal Empire shall prove that Canada or Australia indeed belongs to India. /10
This imperialist delusion is the mother of all evils in modern Chinese history. It has led to brutal oppression on Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Mongolians. It is used to justify CCP's rule. It ruined Shanghai and Hong Kong. It is escalating conflicts in the South China Sea. /11
Now, let's decipher the recent lunacy of the Chinese Ambassador to France in light of this delusion.
He stated that no member state in the former Soviet Union has sovereignty.
If this holds, Taiwan as a former region of Manchurian Empire should not have sovereignty either.
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He stated that no member state in the former Soviet Union has sovereignty.
If this holds, Taiwan as a former region of Manchurian Empire should not have sovereignty either.
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Japan took Taiwan from the Manchurian Empire in 1895. And relinquished its sovereignty after WWII.
The ambassador in fact made a bold but shrew career bet by speaking aloud what's on Xi's mind.
No wonder he has received more rapid promotions since Xi came into power.
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The ambassador in fact made a bold but shrew career bet by speaking aloud what's on Xi's mind.
No wonder he has received more rapid promotions since Xi came into power.
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He was speaking to ONLY one person in the audience: Xi.
The ambassador's comments triggered an angry uproar in Europe.
But that is EXACTLY why Xi is advocating a multipolar world. /14
The ambassador's comments triggered an angry uproar in Europe.
But that is EXACTLY why Xi is advocating a multipolar world. /14
In a multipolar world, where a friendlier grand jury voting more in favor of Xi, imagine Mr. Macron is added to that grand jury.
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Other enthusiasts of this multipolar world Xi is counting on. ๐
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I will not be surprised if Professor Kotkin, a sage and insightful critic of the Russian totalitarianism, works tirelessly to justify why China is different.
China is only worse than Russia.
Unfortunately, too many in the West are parroting its imperialistic narratives.
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China is only worse than Russia.
Unfortunately, too many in the West are parroting its imperialistic narratives.
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