• OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
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    7 hours ago

    Any independent thinker should indeed seek to critically understand multiple perspectives, yes. Although even just being able to formulate perspectives of other countries, or being willing to challenge blatant misinformation will get you accused of being an imperialist by left-posturing Western chauvanists.

    You can make the argument for Russia but I really don’t understand how China, a country that has been at peace for over 40 years and which is developing an alternative economic sphere such that countries are not forced to accept whatever conditions the West imposes, could possibly be considered “imperialist.” I’m guessing people will just be like, “Well what if they invaded Taiwan? The things happening purely in my imagination prove China bad.”

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      3 hours ago

      You can make the argument for Russia but I really don’t understand how China, a country that has been at peace for over 40 years and which is developing an alternative economic sphere such that countries are not forced to accept whatever conditions the West imposes, could possibly be considered “imperialist.”

      Any conflict between the US and China in the Pacific Rim is described as “US Imperialism” from the Chinese perspective and “Chinese Imperialism” from the US perspective.

      Any claim China makes along its border regions is Imperialism. Any naval actions made by the Chinese military is Imperialism. Any police action inside the recognized territory of China is imperialism. The entire 1.4B person population is routinely described as a Han monoculture.

      The national economic plan is at once a failed project, doomed to collapse within the year, and a sinister plot to steal global market share for the most villainous purposes imaginable. China is, at once, the world’s biggest polluter and the perpetuator of a string of environmentalist “hoaxes”. It’s producing commodities, like consumer electronics and cars and steel girders and plastic widgets, too cheaply and quickly. But it’s also dogged by inefficient bureaucracy and COVID restrictions and an inherent cultural disinterest in entrepreneurship, so the country is constantly lacking essentials.

      So they need to go out and steal other people’s stuff, whether its Taiwanese semiconductors or Middle Eastern fossil fuels or East African mineral wealth. And the government accomplishes this by tricking idiot liberals into doing business with them, while secretly infiltrating their societies with the most black-handed saboteurs and spies and assassins.

      China is ontologically evil. Its politics is so authoritarian that the people don’t even realize they are being oppressed. But also the people DO realize they are oppressed and yearn for freedom. And if you don’t understand all of this to be true, you’re either an idiot or a LLM programmed to ignore the obvious and trick other people just like an Evil Chinese would.

      • OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
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        2 hours ago

        The ways chauvanism can manifest and reassert itself, even when people rational recognize it as a bad thing in the abstract, are so crazy. The internalized indoctrination works like some kind of demon constantly whispering in people’s heads, trying to get them to come back around to “America #1!”

        Criticism will either be overly specific, “This is just because of Trump, I miss when we had respectable Republicans like Bush,” or it will be overly general, “Yes, the US is bad, but only in the sense that all governments are bad.” Anything to avoid the conclusion that the US just fucking sucks.

        If the American government fails it must either be an exception, or an inherent flaw in all governments, because we’re the smartest, best, most moral and freedom-loving people in the world. Impossible that foreigners could succeed where we failed, if we failed, it could only be because the task is impossible. That’s how the chauvanists think, and so the conclusion is already determined before a single actual fact is considered.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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          2 hours ago

          Anything to avoid the conclusion that the US just fucking sucks.

          Even that is overly broad and kinda skitters over what it is that makes US empire a global horror.

          Like, “ah bummer man the US sucks” doesn’t do justice to the pile of bloody backpacks at the Minab school attack. It feels almost trite to say “The child murder needs to stop”, but so much US policy - foreign and domestic - is about slaughtering children by the millions. It’s not just a “aw shucks things are bad”. It’s a global campaign of eugenics, driven by a handful of plutocrats who have pegged their collective future on the advent of Computer God.

          Impossible that foreigners could succeed where we failed

          Unless they’re Norwegian, for some reason. Only the Scandinavians - the whitest of the white Europeans - are allowed to claim anything approaching “Functional Socialism”. And only when they build their society on the back of a petro-state.

          • OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
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            1 hour ago

            It feels almost trite to say “The child murder needs to stop”, but so much US policy - foreign and domestic - is about slaughtering children by the millions.

            Classic “no way to prevent this” says only nation where this regularly happens. A part of me just wishes that the horrors could be contained to within our borders, but we have to make all of our shit everyone’s problem.

            Only the Scandinavians - the whitest of the white Europeans - are allowed to claim anything approaching “Functional Socialism”.

            The funniest part about this is how many people will be like, “The best approach is a mixture of socialism and capitalism” which is exactly what China is doing. I’ve tried so many times to get a coherent answer from the “China bad because billionaires” types as to whether the reforms in the 80’s were good or bad. The only response you’ll ever get from most of them is to call you a fascist for asking.

    • Jaderick@lemmy.world
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      6 hours ago

      Had me in the first half, ngl.

      https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/territorial-disputes-south-china-sea

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_status_of_Taiwan

      https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-expressed-concern-over-chinese-structure-disputed-area-sea-2025-04-24/

      Ask literally any average Southeast Asian citizen about China’s influence on their country, and you’ll get a sense of Chinese imperialist ambitions.

      I’m brushing over the long history of Han ethnic expansionism and the literal war with communist Vietnam over their supposed vassal-state of Cambodia.

      Edit: Read up on the Chinese Ethnic Unity Law: https://www.chinalawtranslate.com/en/ethnic-unity-and-progress-law/

      Whom will likely benefit the most: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_groups_in_China

      • 秦始皇帝@lemmy.ml
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        4 hours ago

        Read up on the Chinese Ethnic Unity Law

        Some exerpts:

        Article 4 In advancing the building of the community for the Chinese nation, economic, political, cultural, social and ecological-civilization development shall be coordinated; common prosperity and development for all ethnic groups shall be fully realized; the people of all ethnic groups shall be ensured the ability to jointly act as masters of the country; a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation shall be built; all-round mutual embeddedness and extensive interaction, exchange and integration among all ethnic groups shall be promoted; an ecological home in which humanity and nature coexist in harmony shall be jointly protected; and the Chinese nation shall be developed into a community with a stronger sense of identity and greater cohesion.

        Article 5 Citizens of the People’s Republic of China are equal before the law. All ethnic groups in the People’s Republic of China are equal. Discrimination against or oppression of any ethnic group is prohibited.

        Article 6 A sense of community for the Chinese nation is the foundation of ethnic unity. The state shall increase commonality while respecting and accommodating differences, promote mutual support and harmonious coexistence among all ethnic groups, and safeguard the great unity of the Chinese nation. Acts that undermine ethnic unity or create ethnic separatism are prohibited.

        Article 8 The state shall uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy and safeguard national unity and ethnic unity.

        Article 9 The state shall govern ethnic affairs in accordance with law, protect the lawful rights and interests of the people of all ethnic groups in accordance with law, strengthen publicity and education concerning the Constitution and laws, enhance the awareness of the state, citizenship and the rule of law among the people of all ethnic groups, safeguard the unity, dignity and authority of the socialist rule of law, and modernize the system and capacity for governance of ethnic affairs within the framework of the rule of law.

        Article 15 The state shall comprehensively promote and popularize the standard spoken and written Chinese language. No organization or individual may obstruct citizens from learning or using the standard spoken and written Chinese language. Schools and other educational institutions shall use the standard spoken and written Chinese language as the basic language of education and instruction. The state shall promote the learning of Putonghua by preschool children and the basic mastery of the standard spoken and written Chinese language by young people who complete compulsory education. State organs shall use the standard spoken and written Chinese language for official purposes. Where documents are required by relevant laws to be issued in the spoken and written language of an ethnic minority, versions in both the standard spoken and written Chinese language and the minority language shall be provided. Where state organs, social organizations, enterprises, public institutions or other social organizations need to use both the standard spoken and written Chinese language and the spoken and written language of an ethnic minority in a public setting, prominence shall be given to the standard spoken and written Chinese language in terms of placement, order and other respects. The state shall respect and protect the learning and use of the spoken and written languages of ethnic minorities, promote their standardization, normalization and digital development, and support the preservation, collation, study and use of ancient books and records in minority languages.

        Article 16 Schools and other educational institutions of all types and at all levels shall carry the requirements for fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation through the entire education process and incorporate them into an education system combining classroom instruction, social practice, themed education and online education. Schools and other educational institutions of all types and at all levels shall use state-compiled textbooks in accordance with relevant state provisions. Education administrative departments shall implement the requirements for fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation in the preparation and review of teaching materials. The departments of the State Council responsible for education administration, ethnic affairs and related work shall organize the preparation of series of textbooks or readers concerning the community for the Chinese nation.

        Article 29 The state shall enhance mutual learning and integration among the cultures of all ethnic groups and encourage all ethnic groups to appreciate one another’s fine traditional cultures and learn one another’s spoken and written languages. People’s governments at all levels shall support cultural workers and relevant entities in creating and presenting literary and artistic works that are grounded in Chinese culture and reflect interaction, exchange and integration among all ethnic groups. People’s governments at all levels shall support libraries, museums, cultural centers and stations, memorial halls, art museums, science and technology museums, workers’ cultural palaces, children’s and youth palaces and other public cultural-service entities in conducting exhibitions and exchange activities concerning the history of the Chinese nation, national prosperity and development, and related subjects. People’s governments at all levels shall draw on the Chinese nation’s rich cultural, sporting and other resources to encourage and support exchange activities, including traditional festivals of the Chinese nation, folk culture events and sporting competitions, that are welcomed and jointly participated in by the people of all ethnic groups.

        So scary for our government with mandated representation of minorities to wish to encourage cultural exchange while instituting a common tongue to allow for our social and physical mobility while continuing to encourage the teaching of minority languages and writing systems. 😱

      • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
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        6 hours ago

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_status_of_Taiwan

        More complicated than what most people think considering the history of Taiwan. Imagine if fascist in your country seized a region via ethnic cleansing and then created a break away state. Would your country be happy to recognize it as an independent nation? The only thing that complicates this is they eventually established a somewhat democratic government, after +40 years of violent authoritarianism.

        Ask literally any average Southeast Asian citizen about China’s influence on their country, and you’ll get a sense of Chinese imperialist ambitions.

        Eh… Comparatively I think you would hear worse if you asked them about western ambitions.

        China is a superpower, you don’t get to that status without flexing that power. The reality is that every superpower in history regardless of what social economic system they utilize has to compete with an established hegemony to upset the status quo. You can label that as imperialism if you want However that opens the debate on how we quantify imperialism, and the only real way to do that is by comparison.

        Compared to the leading superpower I’d hardly say their activity in their own backyard really can’t be compared to what the US is currently doing to control a waterway right now.

        I’m brushing over the long history of Han ethnic expansionism

        I think Han chauvinism has long been an issue within China, even Mao spoke about it during his time in power. Do I think it’s as dire as it’s depicted in western media? No, but I do hope that the CCP takes more steps to integrate ethnic minorities into positions in higher government like the politburo. That being said, is the treatment of ethnic minorities on the same level or worse than in western nations…? Not really, which leads me to believe that ethnic chauvinism isn’t really a problem specific to any government or economic system.

        war with communist Vietnam over their supposed vassal-state of Cambodia.

        Which the CCP openly admits was a misguided mistake, and apparently unlike other superpowers was something they actually learned from.

      • OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
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        6 hours ago

        Minor border disputes are not imperialism.

        I’m brushing over the long history of Han ethnic expansionism

        Projection.

        and the literal war with communist Vietnam

        Over 40 years ago lol. If the US had been at peace since Vietnam, I’d have very different opinions about it.

        • Jaderick@lemmy.world
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          6 hours ago

          https://www.britannica.com/topic/imperialism

          imperialism, state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas

          Bruh can’t even read a dictionary, lmao.

          Projection

          Lmao, who do you even think I am?

          The US is bad too. If you’re going to be anti-imperialist then you need to be against all imperialism and not just the one you were told to hate.

          The vitriol toward defending China in this second response, at any cost, gives you away.

          • ThirdConsul@lemmy.zip
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            8 minutes ago

            I find it incredible funny that I have seen many other people (me included) criticizing their country, all of the countries really… but I have never seen Objection saying a negative word about China. Not even once. On any matter.

            Edit: I stand corrected. I though Objection to be either a hypocrite, a shill or a bot, or otherwise unable to criticize China. They changed my opinion by showing they are capable of criticising China on issues they find fault with.

            • OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
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              1 hour ago

              I generally don’t go around shit-talking other countries that I don’t live in and have never been to. The only real exceptions being ones that are receiving military aid from my own country, such as Israel, because that makes it relevant to me.

              For the record, I have and do criticize China on certain things, such as LGBT rights. But again, that’s pretty irrelevant to any political questions that are actually relevant to me and my life. What am I going to do about problems in China? What levers of power can I or should I assert to address their problems? It kinda seems like I should probably be a little bit more concerned about all the horrible things my own country is doing. Don’t talk shit about a splinter in their eye when there’s a wooden board in your own or something.

              If there was a way for me to assert some lever of power against China, it would be through my own government. But that would only be a valid thing to do if my government wasn’t doing worse things, which is why it’s relevant to point out that the US is worse, in spite of the inevitable response of “whataboutism.”

              If the discourse around here was upholding China as some utopia that we should all try to emulate in every regard, you would see me criticize it more. But because the discourse is more about how evil every single thing it does is, how every accusation should be believed completely uncritically, how we should support Western governments acting against it, etc, it’s only natural that that’s what you see me pushing back against the most.

              • ThirdConsul@lemmy.zip
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                51 minutes ago

                For the record, I have and do criticize China on certain things, such as LGBT rights

                Your profile motto:

                If someone claims something happened on the fediverse without providing a link, they’re lying.

                Evidence or GTFO.

                • OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
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                  49 minutes ago

                  Sure.

                  China’s modern day homophobia does not come from a place of “The Buddha said this was bad,” rather, it comes from seeing homosexuality as a Western invention, and a symptom of “bourgeois decadence.” Sadly, such brainworms are common in many socialist countries. There is a stereotype many people have that gay people all live in cities and spend all our time partying at nightclubs, because that makes for better TV than the reality does.

                  • ThirdConsul@lemmy.zip
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                    40 minutes ago

                    I think we have different definitions what criticism is, because all you do there is explain why, whitewash.

                    Wait, no, unless you think this is the part when you criticize China

                    Sadly, such brainworms are common in many socialist countries

                    Because you don’t. You explicitly don’t criticize China in this sentence.

                    Edit: I checked, definition of the words are clear. To criticize is to pass judgment, or find fault. To explain is to provide context or inform or clarify. You did the latter.

          • OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
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            4 hours ago

            imperialism, state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas

            That’s still not the same as minor border disputes.

            The US is bad too. If you’re going to be anti-imperialist then you need to be against all imperialism and not just the one you were told to hate.

            Yes, decades long occupations, minor border clashes, both equally bad and equally requiring staunch opposition. You gonna go full “white lives matter” next? Or can we agree that focusing on the much, much bigger problem should be the priority?

            The vitriol toward defending China in this second response, at any cost, gives you away.

            “Gives me away” as what? If you’re going to accuse me of something, say it to my face.

            • Jaderick@lemmy.world
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              3 hours ago

              They brigaded you Dagnet. RIP.

              Purged like their authoritarian heroes wished for dissidents, downvotes to the back of the head. :,(

              • Dagnet@lemmy.world
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                3 hours ago

                And so they prove my point. Luckily those downvotes are as meaningless as their opinions

          • OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
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            6 hours ago

            I don’t care at all about any minor US border disputes. I’m not even aware of them. I do care about unprovoked decades-long invasions and occupations of sovereign countries, and things like that.

            I swear to God, like can you even imagine how peaceful and wonderful the world would look if US was no more aggressive than China? Like, if the only things to criticize the US for were not doing landback or stuff that happened long before I was born, and maybe like one exchange of gunfire over Guantanamo Bay or something?

            Such a world almost seemed possible when I was growing up in the 90’s. A period of relative peace (not counting bombing Yugoslavia) and optimism. But that was absolutely terrifying to our rulers. Do you know what world peace would do to companies like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin? No, instead we just have endless war and aggression, in every single corner of the world.

            My own family paid the cost of your stupid imperialistic ambitions. My brother came back from the war so fucked up he nearly became a mass shooter. It was the most traumatic experience any of us have ever had.

            Who the fuck is experiencing that because of the Chinese government? You think border disputes are equivalent to that? You’re completely full of shit. You have zero understanding of just how horrific war is. I don’t either, because I only got the secondhand exposure. But you go around, talking shit, saying that our government is no worse than others, blissfully ignorant because of the great strides our media goes to to shield you from the reality of what our soldiers are doing on the other side of that wall.

            Fuck you. Fucking liberals, imperialist apologists, chauvanists the lot of you.