China and the EU: Rivalry or Cooperation?

Despite differences, dialogue and synergy are possible as long as respect for the sovereignty of each country prevails.

- MARCELO MUÑOZ

NOTWITHSTANDING Western admiration, suspicion, uneasiness or rejection, the undisputed growth of China brings into question a global status quo that is Western in nature. In reality, however, of every 10 inhabitants on the planet, two are Chinese, two are Indian, and another two are African, while the other two are from the rest of Asia, America, Europe and Oceania combined. In fact six out of 10 people in the world are Asian.

Despite these facts, we continue believing that everything globally is about the West, that our culture is “the [only] culture,” that our civilization is “the [only] civilization,” and that our values are “universal values.” Oftentimes, when we hear in the media “the most beautiful in the world” or “the most advanced in the world,” we think about our Western small, wealthy, and advanced world, but which in reality only represents 14 percent of the planet.

A Western Vision

This Western vision is based to a large extent on the fact that we have dominated the planet for the past five centuries, and that our two Anglo-Saxon empires – the British and the American – are, and continue to be, the expression of that Western vision. This paradigm is passed on from one generation to the next by universities, business schools, think tanks, and even religious institutions and our families.