America Faces New Global Strategy Choices

Mr. President:

Hello! I would like to discuss a few viewpoints regarding your country’s decisions on global strategy for you to consider.

The history of civilized society is similar to water flowing down the Yangtze River, always twisting and turning. Any significant event in history is similar to the mountains or flatlands on the banks of the Yangtze, or the obstructions shaping the water flow or guiding the river’s waters into open space! Over thousands of years, this is how the winding Yangtze riverbed has been formed.

Recently, the Japanese government’s illegal attempts to “nationalize” the Diaoyu Islands is the Japanese government creating a boulder in the way of human civilization, if not a mountain! The changes in world order caused by its continued rise will result in a great number of unexpected consequences. I’m afraid Japan not stepping down isn’t an option; later on, if Japan cannot step down, there will be serious implications for your country!

The Diaoyu Islands issue is entirely an American creation. In reference to how this issue came about and the actual events that occurred, people need to have some understanding of the processes that created the “Cairo Declaration,” the “Potsdam Proclamation,” the “Yalta Peace System” and the creation and conclusion of the Cold War, as well as this farce with the Diaoyu Islands. Then, the mentality and related actions within the U.S. will become crystal clear.

Presently, in order to dominate the world, you attempt to use the Diaoyu Islands as bait, allowing Japan to push for restricting the restoration of the Chinese nation’s pawn. Inciting the top two major economies in confrontation only results in the third party reaping the benefit, and adds more troubles to an already turbulent world. As for America, this is a dangerous moment in history.

However, your choices on global strategy and decisions about America’s strategy include logical thinking. Number one, America wants to hold onto its top position in the world; this is your policymakers’ attitude and general ideology.

Actually, in such a huge global village, having a village leader doesn’t need to be a bad thing; people support America acting as village leader. The question is, what is America’s goal in being the leader? This village has hundreds of homes, while you, the leader, think only of your own family, putting your family’s happiness above others’ suffering. A leader using various methods to oppress and exploit others will not last long as village leader!

This is the root of the problem. However, you won’t care and you won’t recognize this point. You believe this is pedantic! Therefore, what you care about is my second point. Number two, you all believe a strong military force is the most important; this is consistently your way of thinking.

Although America depends on a strong naval force to thrive, and gunboats did win a significant victory in the international war against fascism, it should not be forgotten that this was also a just war that made countries around the world, including China, respect America as the world’s superpower! Today, however, America has lost that sense of “justice” in war, only putting their trust in the gunships themselves!

Nevertheless, only depending on naval weapons like this will not have the desired effect! America has already experienced the most benefit that can be had from warships. America has, however, learned many lessons in this regard, brought about by America’s loss of the sense of “justice” in war!

You probably know this, but you all want to sidestep the issue! So, you would like to place your hope in my third point. Number three, America wants to hide behind the stage, manipulating proxy wars; this tactic must be changed.

Although the Diaoyu Islands farce is the work of the Japanese, you [Americans] are actually the behind-the-scenes director. Originally, America privately gave the right to manage the islands to Japan. Perhaps this was to let China restrict another rise in Japanese militarism, or perhaps it was merely out of America’s own selfish considerations. But things have since changed; today, you have forgotten your militant friendship with China in combating Japanese militarism. Instead, you are doing the opposite, instigating the other side, plotting to use the rising trend of Japan’s militarism to suppress the Chinese nation’s restoration process.

However, the development of civilized society and trends in global history are, independent of man’s will, decided by self-rule and cultural origins. Because of this, America’s rise and decline depends on the development of civilization; global trends in history and the nature of your culture, however, are not directly related to whether other countries are also on the rise.

In other words, even if the Chinese nation were not on the rise, America would still be in the same state of decline. Because Western cultures think analytically while Eastern cultures think comprehensively, prior to the Renaissance, while the Chinese nation was flourishing, the Western world was lagging behind. After the Renaissance, while the West was flourishing, the Chinese nation declined; in the end, this is a result of analytical or comprehensive thinking. There is a saying: “Rivers and mountains take turns to sit down; today, they arrived at my home.”

However, when analytical culture and comprehensive culture have both reached the peak in a cycle of rising and falling, the Eastern and Western worlds need to bring their analytical and comprehensive backgrounds together to join hands and move forward! Rivers and mountains belong to the people of the world, not to one group! Nevertheless, you don’t want to believe this. You’d rather believe that Chinese success challenges your position as world leader. You believe that if you don’t protect your position as the leading country in the world every step of the way, then China will take that position away!

Because of this, you move toward my fourth point. Number four, when all your tricks have been used up and you’re at your wit’s end, it can’t be ruled out that you will desperately put all of your eggs into one basket the same way you did with Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, and start another unjust war.

Nevertheless, that is your last resort in true decline. Take a moment to consider: Throughout the world’s history, what was the cause for decline in countries possessing a Western background — from the Romans to the Macedonians, from the French Empire to the Napoleonic Empire, from Hitler’s fascist empire to the British Empire on which the “sun never sets,” and also Japan’s militarists?

However, you are not willing to seriously study this now, the same way Japan is not willing to seriously consider their own failings! So, you are inevitably drawn toward my fifth point. Number five, your decline into a second-rate country is inevitable. This is your ultimate conclusion. In reality, your own issues accelerated the pace of this historical outcome!

This was your logical thinking and your path forward! Since the formation of the “Cairo Declaration,” “Potsdam Proclamation” and “Yalta Peace System” up to today, the world has seen war in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as terrorist attacks. Up until this farce with the Diaoyu Islands, America has essentially been acting on logical thinking in these historical events, thus keeping America on a unique trajectory in world history! Except, in this history of America’s rise and fall, you have so far only made it to the third step!

The third step is therefore a central point at which you have some room to move about! In today’s world, from a global strategy perspective, you still have a great deal of options: from the very best policy to a still wise or second-best option, all the way to an unwise or even the worst possible policy.

The so-called very best policy would be to stand on a higher, more expansive field of view that surpasses Western culture’s limitations. Remain on the side of justice, genuinely considering the poorest people of the world and supporting their development. This is what you should do as the leader of today’s world. For this to happen, you all must first adjust your attitudes and ideology. What is the attitude you Americans have? It is this: egotistical, and self-interested!

You really do have some good things, from culture and science, to government and people, society and the individual, etc. It’s these good things that enabled you to develop rapidly in the 20th century and to surpass other developed nations in the West. It is also these good things about America that makes it necessary for people of other nations, including China, to learn from you.

The root causes for your country’s rapid development in the 20th century were the growth and initiative of Western culture and science. During World War II, talent was included in your war bonus, as well as accumulated long-term during your social development process.

However, a main cause during World War II was justice. This was by no means entirely the case! You also have many sordid and incomplete affairs. There are many dirty details; for example, what was it that you employed in order to become developed? Your riches include how much ill-gotten money? You know exactly what I mean, so no need to continue speaking on this! When I mentioned incomplete things, I mean for example your philosophy and culture.

Western analytical thinking and philosophy has already made a substantial contribution to social development; we acknowledge this. However, analytical thinking and philosophy have already come to an end: “Thirty years on the western riverbank and 40 years on the eastern.” Eastern culture and comprehensive thinking and philosophy are being revived. On this point, there are Western people who already have the insight to see this clearly; for example, the value of Laozi’s thought from over 2,500 years ago. These insightful Westerners consider this thinking to be universal! Actually, Laozi’s thinking is much more than a philosophical ideology; it is more so a scientific way of thinking — but then, how could Laozi have such brilliant discourse on the shaping of the universe? I have many systematic discussions of what is in “The Book of Changes,” but you, being a politician, do not understand and do not want to understand!

In the history of human culture, the maxim “Thirty years on the western riverbank and 40 years on the eastern” is the root cause for your inevitable decline; it’s the same as when, following the Renaissance, Eastern culture’s decline inevitably led to a decline of the Eastern world. There’s no method to deal with this. Even if the Chinese nation wasn’t on the rise, you would be experiencing the same decline! About America’s fall and handling of the situation, the American media comments: “Comparing the America of years past with today’s America, there is a lack of influence on world affairs, and adversaries are beginning to ignore Obama.”*

Actually, even if China’s economy, national power, military, etc. surpassed you, China would still not be able to have the same overbearing power as you. You can rest assured; China’s history illustrates this fact! This is not decided by factors such as China’s social system, political system, political parties, leaders’ personalities, etc. but rather by the essence of Chinese culture! Chinese people are forced to use your Western culture’s way of thinking; after using “learn from the foreigners to compete with them,” there was an early return to essentially Chinese culture and adaptation to trends in civilization!

What exactly is the essence of Chinese culture? Simply put, it is the word “harmony,” which is perhaps difficult for you to comprehend. But you can perhaps remember your own actions; in the wars in Korea and Vietnam, was it China that attacked you? Or was it that you left China with no option but to take up arms against you?

Exactly how much does America want to speculate on military power? Why won’t you acknowledge that you are already a large threat to the world? Ironically, China produces a missile, airplane or aircraft carrier, and you think it constitutes a threat to you! There is a Chinese saying, “Turnabout is fair play!” [It’s only fair for others to do the same as you].

Therefore, you should adjust your attitude to be less egotistical and self-centered, and study up on approaches like “do unto others as you would have them do to you,” “harmonious but different,” “harmony and stability,” etc. Once the attitude is changed, then the leading ideology can change; you will then naturally understand how to get on peaceably with the other nations of the world! Don’t go creating uncertainties everywhere, moving aircraft carriers places; wherever you go, instability follows. Everyone hates this!

Of course, this requires you, as a politician, as well as thinkers and philosophers, to work together. But, your policymakers as well as the politicians are, at best, only thinking about furthering their own votes. Naturally they will not be choosing the very best policy!

So the wise policy is not to further personal gain, but to publicly and privately support a united front against Japanese militarism and fascist organization. Uphold your reputation and integrity!

This is also not necessary to say. During World War II, you stood on the side of justice; you made enormous contributions for the global cause in opposing fascism. Because of this, you continued to develop after the war. Also because of this, you won the world’s respect, although the Japanese military launched the attacks on Pearl Harbor in the Pacific War and forced you to enter battle!

If you now decide to let the tiger return to the mountain [create problems for the future], you will not only be compromising your present reputation. Bad actions come with bad consequences! But, judging from your present behavior, you will still not choose to follow the wise policy!

The so-called second choice is for you [Americans] to worry about yourselves: not to create trouble, not to get involved and to interact peacefully with the rest of the world. Of course, in a country like yours where the wealthy have the most influence, so long as you don’t meddle in others’ affairs, others will not go after you!

However, this does not seem to be your attitude! You won’t be this way, because you believe that you are the number one authority in the world! The so-called unwise policy is your current policy; because you are unable to accomplish what you want, you’re living the life of a whore and expect a monument to be put up in your honor! You are manipulating proxy wars, publicly stating you aren’t taking sides while privately funding the villain! Doing this is very dangerous for you! Ultimately, you are going to end up choosing the worst possible policy.

The so-called worst policy is what your country did in the past in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan — unflinchingly declaring war! Actually, careful analysis of your actions in the 70 years since World War II up to now is very enlightening. The path you’ve walked along is more or less like this: Following the 1940s, you took part in the global war against fascism. This falls under the previously mentioned very best policy. After this, in the early 1950s, you went to war with Korea. This fits under the worst possible policy. You went from one end to the other, suddenly changing from fighting for justice to an unjust war. This terrible strategy continued in the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to your religion, all big events in the world are part of God’s plan. Perhaps you learned a lesson from Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, since now you’ve changed from the very worst policy of war to the unwise policy of manipulating other countries in proxy wars. This seems to be a step in the right direction, but it is actually a treacherous move.

This is a change in your strategy! Stand down, your strategy can still be changed! The question is, how can you change it? Either you return to the worst policy (even though you don’t have the power to do that) or you move forward and change from an unwise policy to a wise one; from there you can continue to choose better and better policies until you finally reach the best! In this way, America can prosper! The world can rejoice! However, from your perspective this is very difficult, unless the cruel facts of reality can educate you!

Are you going to go backward, returning to direct, all-out war? Or will you move ahead, choosing a wise policy to then continue to choose an even wiser policy, ultimately reaching the best policy? This determines your country’s position within the global framework for quite a long time into the future!

Move ahead, and 21st-century America can still flourish. In the 22nd century, America can thrive along with China and all of humanity — together! Adding your country’s successful 20th century, we could have three centuries of prosperity!

Going back — that’s hard to say!

Going forward? Or going back?

It is your own choice!

China will wait and see!

The world will wait and see!

I wish you success in the campaign!

A citizen of The People’s Republic of China, Hongfan Du

October 10, 2012

*Editor’s note: The original quotation, accurately translated, could not be verified.