EDITOR note:

CHINESE President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Great Britain and the signing of 40 billion pounds (US$61.3 billion) worth of deals have reignited European interest in China.

China-Europe relations are getting fresh wind in their sails thanks to frequent mutual visits by heads of state, expanding trade and cultural exchanges. But hidden beneath the surface are undercurrents of misunderstanding and crass sentiments that ought to be avoided.

Fokke Obbema, foreign desk editor at the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant, addresses these undercurrents in his newly published book “China and the West: Hope and Fear in the Age of Asia”. He recently sat down with Shanghai Daily reporter Ni Tao to discuss his book and what he sees as hope and fear in Sino-European ties.

Q: Let’s forget, for the time being, the trade numbers. Given your personal observations on European exchanges with Chinese, how have the latter changed in, say, temperament?

A: Chinese in general are becoming more confident. In the past, it was not the case. Westerners usually wanted the Chinese to speak out more clearly and not be so vague. But now the Chinese are becoming more outspoken and confident in asserting their views.

There is an anecdote I used in the book to review the learning curve of the Chinese. A group of Chinese and German scientists are having a discussion. At first the Germans are quite blunt, as Westerners often are in the eyes of Chinese, and the Chinese are listening politely. But after a few sessions the Chinese go on the offensive and the Germans become more quiet.

This is a telling example of the long way the Chinese have come in terms of gaining confidence in dealing with Westerners. But their growing confidence isn’t dramatic enough to convey the impression that “the tables are turned.”

That’s a bit too strong for me. I think relations are more balanced nowadays, with Westerners no longer dictating or imposing their views. And when it comes to international affairs, I think it is good for the Chinese to speak up for themselves.

Q: Please cite an example to illustrate how the “fear factor” is used in shaping China’s image in Europe.

A: In France, in the Bordeaux region, I went to vineyards taken over by Chinese. For a Western journalist it is difficult not to use the “fear factor” when Chinese are taking over.

The story I could easily sell to my editor was: “The Chinese in Bordeaux! The production of the world-famous wine, the industry that makes France what it is, is falling into Chinese hands!”

Indeed, my newspaper liked the sound of that, so they said: Record those complaints and “you have a story,” as journalists put it. So I went, talked with wine experts in Bordeaux. But they explained: It is nothing special, we already have had the British, the Americans, Dutch and Japanese; the Chinese have bought only a dozen out of 11,000 chateaux and this is only a tiny wine stain on an enormous white tablecloth...

But I also met an old mayor in a village and he grumbled about “the loss of wine knowledge to China.” Later I asked two experts about this loss and they laughed — winemaking after all is not rocket science. Despite their denials, the newspaper decided to use the headline: “French know-how goes to China.” It shows you the subtle mechanism of fear-mongering at work.

Q: In your book you say Chinese media sometimes resort to fear-mongering about the West as well. How?

A: These days, I’m giving interviews to Chinese media on my book. I try to be balanced, giving some sweet and sour to both China and the West, but they tend to hear only the sweet things on China and the sour remarks on the West.

I think the relations between China and the West are in need of a more open debate. What is standing in the way of such a debate on a more fundamental level? In my view it is important to understand the underlying sentiments.

On both sides a feeling of superiority plays a role. Behind this sentiment is not only self-esteem, but also insecurity. On both sides less arrogance, less belief in one’s own superiority, would help.

Q: A point well taken, and what is the source of this sense of superiority?

A: On the side of the Chinese, China is seen as a unique culture, standing on its own, apart from the rest of humanity. This Middle Kingdom-mentality still plays a role in the Chinese psyche. But it is mixed with a feeling of inferiority, as a result of the century of humiliation. This regretful period, largely forgotten by Westerners, has understandably led to a suspicious Chinese attitude towards Westerners, even today.

Q: But aren’t Western feelings of superiority perhaps more acutely felt in their dealings with China?

A: Westerners for their part have equally a feeling of superiority, but it is a slightly different form of exceptionalism. They tend to think their values are universally applicable. There is no feeling of inferiority, but there is a lot of insecurity, especially about the economic performance of the West.

In relation to China, this results in fears about its rise, in particular the possible impact of Chinese competition.

This is not without a factual base: in Southern Europe many small companies went bankrupt after China joined the WTO in 2001.

And if China would become truly a knowledge economy producing top quality high tech goods it is likely that companies in the Northern part of Europe will experience a similar fate.

Q: After being in this relationship for so long, shouldn’t we know better than exploiting fears of each other since it benefits no one?

A: In my book I argue why this attitude of fear is both unproductive and unjustified. Unproductive, as fear will not help us in competing with China.

A Chinese owner of a solar company once told me quite bluntly: “You can be fearful, we don’t care, we go about our business anyway.”

And he was right, of course. George Walden, a veteran British diplomat with decades of China experience under his belt, put it this way: “If we ask the Chinese to cease production of something because otherwise 500,000 people here in Europe will lose their job, we cannot expect a great deal of sympathy.” And it would not be different the other way around.

The right attitude in the West would be an optimistic one by looking for opportunities which China’s rise also provides to us. Fear is also unjustified when one considers China’s huge internal problems: the environment, corruption and the gap between rich and poor.