The international relations are changing rapidly. The Western world is less and less powerful in this new context. In fact demography became the first factor of power again.
China is an example of renewal. Deng Xiaoping is the person who awoke this country. His reformist views correspond to the Chinese mentality in many aspects: the priority given to the economy, as China is originally a country of trade ; the focus on education as a factor of long term success. Also this approach is visible in the military context, where China is playing a kind of go game. Sun Tzu told in fact that if you know your enemy and know yourself, you can win a great deal of battles, and even win without fighting. This is the long term goal of China : dominating the world without any war.
It is visible that Chinese focus on rare metals and on the data is a factor of a country preparing its future all the time. This is compatible with reformism : Lenin reproached to the social democrats their optimistic views on progress, while it is necessary for him to make this progress tangible thanks to proletarian forces. However China has a culture of pragmatism that has been well described by François Jullien : first it is necessary to try any kind of decision and to be open to any efficient approach ; second, when a solution is found, staying focused on it and not abandoning it. It looks that China is living a great NEP for 40 years, with a combinaison of capitalism and state intervention. For those reasons it is necessary to say that China is an important country to this aspect.
Another reason is a desire for revenge. It has always been a motor of history. The Chinese understood very well that they have been defeated by the technological disadvantage and its lack of economic development by the Westerners. Today its position can possibly change, as it can take the advantage and take its revenge. As the sinolog Alice Ekman said, competition is today open. This approach is looking at an optimistic view on progress : Auguste Comte and its positivist view looks to be very well followed by the Chinese approach of today. This vision is very threatening for the Western countries and it could be good to inspire from some Chinese factors of success : a massive investment in education, a focus to prepare the future, especially by mastering more and more complex technologies.
Another dangerous factor for Western countries is the successful Chinese intent to rally post colonial countries, for instance in Africa or South America. For those reasons it is necessary that China succeeds to seduce many countries that were under the rules of France or Great Britain. Its great company Huawei is getting the data of 90% of African territory, an asset that may be strategic in the future.
As the Western world looks to be decadent, we look to head forward an Asian century. It may not be reassuring but it reflects the reality of demography. It is also logical to the sense that our civilization is threatened by its own decadence. It is for instance reflected by the state of schools in Europe or North America. Those factors show that Western countries really need to react quickly. It encompasses creating a real policy of education, investing in new and green technologies more, and building an inspiring model of society that can strengthen its soft power. Those approaches have been advocated by Emmanuel Macron in his 2030 investment plan. Anyway a lot of path has to be done to make those objectives come true. It may not be sufficient, however, to reverse the curse of history which is leaning to Asia.
The observer 