The Seven Dragons of China
Meeting Them Head-On
The West now faces a critical challenge: to engage China as it navigates its own complex priorities, symbolized by the Seven Dragons that shape its leadership’s worldview. To meet these dragons head-on is not to provoke unnecessary conflict but to demonstrate understanding and resolve — an acknowledgment that we know what can and cannot be in this world. By addressing each dragon with clarity and conviction, the West can set the boundaries for a stable global order while creating opportunities for coexistence.
The Seven Dragons and the Western Response
1. The Dragon of Sovereignty
China’s Perspective: Territorial integrity is non-negotiable. From Taiwan to the South China Sea, sovereignty is tied to national pride and regime legitimacy.
The Western Response:
- Acknowledge Red Lines: Recognize the sensitivity of sovereignty issues without conceding principles, such as Taiwan’s democratic autonomy.
- Maintain Deterrence: Bolster alliances (e.g., with Taiwan and the Quad) and demonstrate readiness to defend international law in maritime and territorial disputes.
- Speak Clearly: Avoid ambiguous positions that embolden China while maintaining diplomatic channels to prevent miscalculations.
2. The Dragon of Stability
China’s Perspective: Domestic unrest is a greater threat than foreign adversaries. The Communist Party prioritizes internal control above all else.
The Western Response:
- Target Pressure Points: Use sanctions and support for human rights to highlight abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Tibet.
- Expose Fragility: Counter China’s narrative of invincibility by amplifying dissent and emphasizing the costs of authoritarianism.
- Be Strategic: Focus on empowering civil society and independent media without overt interference that could galvanize Chinese nationalism.
3. The Dragon of Prosperity
China’s Perspective: Economic growth is the foundation of legitimacy. A slowing economy threatens both social stability and global influence.
The Western Response:
- Diversify Dependencies: Reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturing and technology by reshoring critical industries and building resilient supply chains.
- Restrict Technology Transfers: Limit access to cutting-edge technologies that fuel China’s economic and military growth.
- Offer Alternatives: Strengthen trade partnerships with developing nations, providing them with options beyond Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
4. The Dragon of Respect
China’s Perspective: The “Century of Humiliation” drives a need for global recognition as a great power. Losing face is unacceptable.
The Western Response:
- Balance Criticism with Respect: Call out China’s overreach without descending into inflammatory rhetoric or personal attacks on its leadership.
- Assert Shared Leadership: Emphasize multilateralism where China can play a constructive role, such as in climate initiatives, while resisting hegemonic aspirations.
- Define Boundaries: Make it clear that global leadership requires adherence to international norms, not coercive behavior.
5. The Dragon of Innovation
China’s Perspective: Technological and scientific leadership is critical to securing independence from Western dominance.
The Western Response:
- Retain the Edge: Invest heavily in research and development to maintain technological superiority in key sectors like AI, quantum computing, and biotechnology.
- Guard Intellectual Property: Strengthen protections against espionage and unfair technology transfers.
- Collaborate Selectively: Engage China in areas of mutual benefit (e.g., climate tech) while denying access to strategic technologies.
6. The Dragon of Strategic Patience
China’s Perspective: Incremental gains are more sustainable than high-risk actions. Time is on China’s side.
The Western Response:
- Play the Long Game: Develop policies that anticipate and counter China’s gradual advances, particularly in regions like the South Pacific and Africa.
- Expose the Strategy: Publicly highlight China’s “salami-slicing” tactics to build global resistance to incremental overreach.
- Create Deterrence Through Unity: Strengthen alliances and multilateral organizations to ensure coordinated responses that frustrate China’s patient strategies.
7. The Dragon of Historical Narrative
China’s Perspective: The “Century of Humiliation” and the restoration of national glory shape its internal and external policies.
The Western Response:
- Challenge the Myth: Counter China’s historical narrative by emphasizing the shared benefits of the post-World War II order.
- Promote Democratic Resilience: Showcase the achievements of open societies to challenge the inevitability of authoritarian success.
- Reclaim the Narrative: Invest in cultural diplomacy and education to compete with China’s soft power initiatives.
Facing the Dragons: What the West Must Understand
- Clarity Signals Strength: China respects strength and consistency. The West must approach each dragon with clear, unified strategies to prevent misinterpretation as weakness or indecision.
- Multilateral Action is Essential: Meeting the dragons head-on requires coordinated action among Western allies and global partners. Fragmentation is China’s advantage; unity is the West’s strength.
- Understand the Stakes: Each dragon represents a vital element of China’s worldview and strategy. Engaging them without understanding their significance risks escalation or lost opportunities.
- Set the Rules of Engagement: By addressing these dragons directly, the West can define the boundaries of acceptable behavior in a shared global order, ensuring that China understands the consequences of overreach.
Meeting the Seven Dragons
The Seven Dragons of the Chinese mind are not insurmountable adversaries but forces that shape China’s strategies and vulnerabilities. Meeting them head-on is not about provoking conflict but about demonstrating that the West understands their importance — and is prepared to act accordingly.
By engaging each dragon with wisdom, strength, and unity, the West can ensure that the global order remains one where cooperation is possible, but aggression and overreach are met with resolute opposition. Only by showing China that the West understands the stakes can we navigate the complex balance between rivalry and coexistence in the years to come.
