West Meets East: Balancing an Unbalanced World and View of the World

Abstract

Abstract This article argues that misunderstanding between nations, especially between West and East, is often the source of conflicts. The current study of the Chinese/Asian approach to international relations has been dominated by Western perspectives that have often misrepresented, misinterpreted, or denied the existence and uniqueness of Chinese/Asian values and ways of dealing with international relations. The Western monotheist belief is very much West-centric, characterized by the nature of dualism, perceiving things in terms of a fundamental concept of dichotomy between right and wrong, angels and demons, white and black, leaving little room for competition, compromise, or integration. This approach will lead, and has led, to conflicts and even wars between nations. Yet, most Asian nations, though each has its own culture, tradition, and approach to international relations, share certain norms that are very much non-Western. Eastern wisdom conceives of international relations from a melioristic and genuinely universal perspective and is distinct from the parochial stand of the Westphalian system. For instance, the concept of harmony and the belief in moral force in a close association with unity of the Chinese nation and the world, which has been missed in Western political conceptualizations, has been deeply rooted in the mind of Chinese elites, which could be a supplement or alternative to the Western idea of power politics. Thus, this article advocates for a post-Orientalism approach to the East and an in-depth and thorough study and understanding of Asian culture and its way of handling international affairs to promote East–West communication, collaboration, and harmony.