Do We Really Know China?

About the Book

Different cultures and civilizations have different perception of a history context and ideas. The Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, Demosthenes, Aristotle, etc. shaped Western thought, Western logic and built our thought systems. Nowadays we need historical pluralism and to form a cohesive whole, especially in an increasingly multipolar world. It is said that Western people, from a European philosophical perspective, are only capable of addressing alternate philosophies using our own mindset. China historically saw its civilization as self-evident universal and did not feel the need to justify this in European terms. Despite the difficulties in comparing different cultures and civilizations, this text summarizes the influence between China and the West, China’s soft power as well as the current situation of China and its way up the global ladder of power. The concept of Chineseness and the identity with the Sinosphere, a brief presentation of China’s history, geopolitical influences, and industrial aspects, the foundation of Chinese thought, language and writing system as well as technological achievements, traditional medicine, arts, and cuisine are only some of the topics covered in the next pages. In addition more subjects are analyzed that provide an overview of the current global position of China, the country’s efforts for reform and global influence as well as its future potentials. These subjects don’t fall far from discussing various economic and industrial facts like the integration of Chinese and European renewable energy markets, the ‘made in China’ phenomenon, foreign policy, and the country’s position as a rising aid donor. After reading this book, it should become obvious that China sees herself as Chung-Kuo; that means the Middle Kingdom, the centre of the universe, and the world’s oldest culture and society. So one could say that this is what they are trying to do so they can make their country again the centre of today’s world. But during their rise, which they characterize as peaceful, they need to maintain global balance and escape from potential unpleasant events, for example one could think of an analogy of US-China relations and the Thucydides trap. Its seems so far that all the odds are with them, their soft power in combination with political strategies, their ability to evolve and follow global trends in addition with a huge internal market brought China to its position today. But will China hold this place? Will the country rise to world’s number one, and in China’s way to global dominance, are we expected to see any more reforms? It seems that all these are in the hands of the Chinese.

About the Author

Iris is from Epirus in Northern Greece, the home of numerous ancient kingdoms and, according to some, the progenitors of the Mycenaean civilization and the home of Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great. Iris has always been interested in ancient societies and believes that these ancient cultures continue to influence their descendents and today’s geopolitical ideas. After finishing her first degree (economics), Iris set up her own consultancy business in public affairs which had offices in Europe and the USA. During this period of fifteen years, she spent much of her time travelling the world, learning about and from other cultures as well as meeting numerous opinion leaders. Following a break to start a family, Iris has spent the past four years focused mainly on the health sector and, particularly, the future of global healthcare. She believes that there is a clear link between ancient holistic methods and modern ideas for the delivery of inclusive care, often branded with the prefix ‘community’ as if this were something new! In addition to undertaking the comprehensive research necessary for her new series of books, she has completed a master’s in which Chinese systems and methodologies played an important part. Since then she has taken on numerous upgrades with major academic institutions including, inter alia, Harvard, MIT, Tsinghua, and Hong Kong universities. Iris has the ability to communicate complicated ideas in simple, understandable English (‘Globeish’!). This ability derives from her varied International business and consultancy career, where her experience included organising and speaking at business and academic conferences alongside numerous well-known public figures. Her extensive knowledge base and experience qualify her to help create and develop innovative solutions to the challenges facing humanity in the new technological age. Her ability to speak the same language in political and governmental ecosystems is a tremendous advantage. During this latter period Iris has also been travelling between Switzerland, UK, Greece, and the USA with her Anglo-Swiss businessman husband and their son.