Features June 2016
A paper dragon (with teeth)
On China’s fortunes and their relation to the rule of law.
China has not established the rule of law and thus there is no justice.
—Ai Weiwei: Weiwei–University presentation, 2013
Public attitudes toward China’s future have turned from celebration of its development to concern about confrontation with the United States. China’s leaders repeat their pledge to make China a global power, a serious rival to the United States. The United States responded to the challenge by offering the principal regional countries other than China a multi-lateral trade agreement that commits countries to more open, competitive trading arrangements and supplements the military-political role the United States has taken since the end of World War II.
China responded both economically and militarily. It established the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank with fifty-seven partner countries. The Bank has $100 billion to lend for infrastructure in Asia. China has the dominant role and the purpose is...
New to The New Criterion?
Subscribe for one year to receive ten print issues, and gain immediate access to our online archive spanning more than four decades of art and cultural criticism.
Subscribe