China-watching in the Vatican

July 13, 2011 —Whatever its other accomplishments, Henry Kissinger’s new book, “On China,” ought to cause serious reconsideration of that now-familiar refrain, “China-is-the-lead-country-of-the-future.” Kissinger’s analysis of Chinese history has been criticized, as has his reticence about evils like the massacres at Tiananmen Square. But his conclusion—that China’s future depends on the resolution of the conflict between those of its leaders who want to maintain totalitarian political control at all costs and those who want to complete the country’s remarkable economic development with a genuine opening toward democratic governance—strikes me as a fair summary of the situation. And it should give no comfort to the China-Is-Inevitably-Number-One crowd. A country that conflicted about its political future is an unlikely contender for world supremacy... [read more]