Of Course China Wants a Say

Former NY Times Asia Correspondent and author Howard French, who spoke in conversation with Dr. George Koo at the Commonwealth Club in March, discussed his reason for writing Everything Under the Heavens. He was puzzled as to why the countries in Asia (Japan, Korea, China) did not behave like those in Europe (Germany, France, UK), putting the World War behind them and moving on. (See post one.) French discovered China's size made the comparison impossible. China went from a small country made up of 4 provinces to a giant. (See post two.)
Moderator George Lewinski: "And then something happened to China and its sense of self..."  
Author Harold French: "What you’re talking about is commonly referred to in China as 'The Century of Humiliation.' 

"The middle of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century when European powers—and in the tail end of the century, also the United States—became involved in a series of imperialist quests around the world. I think it’s easily forgotten by non-specialists the extent of this.  Europe basically conquered and colonized the entire world.  The countries that were not colonized –off the top of my head--I can think of Japan... China was semi-colonized. Protectorates of various kinds were established... This was a great loss to Chinese wealth, to Chinese momentum...China was already –many historians believe—beginning to successfully industrialize when the Europeans showed up in this invasion mode. 
"In recent times, it’s been used as a kind of motif in nationalist education to get young Chinese people in China to adhere to an idea of national rejuvenation or resuscitation...What that all means is that Chinese people should put their shoulders to the wheel and all contribute to this national reconstruction."
Lewinski: "Does it mean China wants to regain its place at the center of Asia?"
French: "...I think if you’re a country of China’s size, if you’re a country of China’s recent economic success, if you’re a country of China’s long history, success in development and innovation and technology and achievement in science, you put those things together and it’s normal...for China to want to be pre-eminent both in its region and in the world."
Dr. George Koo: "...I think Xi Jinping has been expressing that China is not looking to compete as a hegemon and replace the United States in any way whatsoever. China would like to be respected as a peer.. It’s going to be in our national interest –the United States and China—to figure out where to get along. Not figuring out a way to become adversaries. That’s where I think we should be heading."
(To Be Continued. Next: U.S. China Relationship Needs To Go Beyond Economics.)