Knowing China: Sinomania to Sinophobia

Abstract

With focus on China’s growing cultural influence and the connections between China’s domestic politics and its attempts to brand itself internationally, Michael Barr in his book Who’s Afraid of China a decade ago had asked: If China suddenly democratized, would it cease being labeled as a threat? In his reply, the author argued the rising Asian power touches a nerve in the Western psyche—a psyche which actually originates from the West’s own past, hopes, and fears of China. In other words, the phenomenon is called Sinophobia. Earlier in mid-February this year, a BBC news report, entitled “Sinophobia: How a virus reveals many ways in which China is feared,” stated that discrimination against China and Chinese people is not new—Sinophobia is a well-documented phenomenon that has existed for centuries. In recent months, we have been witnessing our own Indian brand of the phenomenon thanks to the ongoing border standoff with China. Unsurprisingly, the expression Sinophobia, a noun, is described in any English dictionary as “a fear or dislike of China, Chinese people, their language or culture.” It is in this backdrop, I am going to use the opportunity offered to me by the organizers of this international conference which couldn’t have been held at a more opportune time and which carries an extremely thoughtful theme, to examine over next half an hour or so why and how of what the CPC leadership has been advocating for some years now. I am of course referring to President Xi’s favorite and oft-repeated theme: “Tell China Story well.”