Cultural Pragmatism for US-China Relations: Breaking the Gridlock and Co-creating Our Future

179 Pages·2022·3.139 MB·English

by  Charles Chao Rong Phua

“Better relations between the US and China would be an enormous help in seeking
paths through contemporary global challenges. Cultural Pragmatism offers helpful
suggestions for how these relations might improve, despite their current difficulties.”
Professor Craig Calhoun, University
Professor of Social Sciences, Arizona State
University, former president of London of School
of Economics and Social Sciences Research
Council (SSRC)
“To see ‘China as China’, an approach often neglected or ignored, poses a significant
intellectual challenge, especially for those confined to a strong tradition of watching
China from the perspective of ‘Anglo-European structuralism’. Dr Phua, feeling at
home with both Chinese and Western cultures, wisely observes that pragmatism, drawn
from both cultures, is key to easing political tensions between China and the US.”
Professor Gerald Chan, Professor of Politics
and International Relations,
University of Auckland
“Cultural Pragmatism as a nuancing, mediating and above all restraining device
to avoid the extremes of one form of ‘rationality’ facing off against another, is the
message of Charles Chao Rong Phua’s new book. Bold and challenging, above all
helpful, the book proposes almost a Buddhist ‘middle way’ in relations between the
US and China.”
Professor Stephen Chan OBE, Professor of
World Politics and Director of the SOAS Centre
for International Studies and Diplomacy, SOAS,
University of London
“In this remarkable book, Charles Chao Rong Phua carefully unpacks many sig-
nificant Chinese perspectives in understanding Sino-US relations. The coverage is
both original and comprehensive. This exciting new book provides a timely challenge
to the main-stream literature in international relations in general and Sino-US rela-
tions, in particular.”
Professor Gordon Cheung, Director,
Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies,
School of International and Government Affairs,
Durham University; Editor-in-Chief, East Asia:
An International Quarterly.
“The author of this book offers his readers so much beyond a well-researched analysis
of US-China relations and the optimism amidst the possibility that the two coun-
tries may be heading for war. Ranging from Chinese political thought, the frequent
misreading of Sunzi in the West and the rise of Chinese International Relations
Theory, he challenges us to be more optimistic about the relationship between the two
powers at a time when optimism is in short supply. In addition, he unpacks theoreti-
cal issues with the light touch that will ensure the book a large audience outside the
narrow confines of the academic world.”
Professor Christopher Coker,
Director, LSE IDEAS
“As the world watching China and the US moving towards a highly competitive
relationship, Charles Chao Rong Phua provides us an alternative understanding of
the two countries’ interaction. With his creative intellectual framework of “Cultural
Pragmatism”, Phua argues persuasively how are the two countries’ strategies shaped
by their respective cultures. If both China and the US can exert cultural pragmatism
in their relations, we may have a less pessimistic world in the coming decades. Along
his unique approach of “seeing China as China”, Phua’s new book is extremely
helpful for all the readers to understand contemporary China’s strategic choices.”
Professor Da Wei, Director, Centre for
International Security and Strategy, and Professor
of International Relations, School of Social
Sciences, Tsinghua University, and former Director,
Institute of American Studies, China Institute of
Contemporary International Relations.
“As this study brilliantly conveys, Cultural Pragmatism offers a vital lens on the
US-China relationship that can help the two countries identify sources of mutual
misunderstanding to mitigate the risk of unwitting bilateral conflict.”
Professor Carla P. Freeman, Senior Expert
for China, United States Institute for Peace, and
former Executive Director, SAIS Foreign Policy
Institute, Johns Hopkins University
“Complementarity in human relations, comparative advantage in trade: Is there
a way for the United States and China to settle on something along similar lines,
positioning themselves vis-à-vis one another in comparative rather than rivalling
ways and seeking their own advantage rather than the other’s disadvantage? Charles
Phua believes there is a way if the United States specializes in military and China
in economic leadership. He argues that, given historical experiences and domestic
expectations, as well as cultural legacies rightly understood, this would amount to a
form of Cultural Pragmatism that may work for both sides.”
Professor Jorg Friedrichs,
Oxford University, author of European Approaches
to International Relations Theory
“Is Thucydides trap destined? Charles Chao Rong Phua argue that nothing is des-
tined and depends on complex interactions of factors. Specifically, culture matters in
perception and misperception. US needs to see ‘China as China’. This book written
by a western trained, Chinese cultured scholar-practitioner is an attempt to decode
China in a politically neutral manner.”
Professor Jin Canrong, Professor. Chang
Jiang Scholar and Associate Dean, School of
International Studies, Renmin University
“In this fascinating work, Charles Phua examines the cultural elements underlying what
he calls America and China’s strategic pragmatism. Building on his earlier work that
explored the pragmatic foreign policy traditions of Singapore, the US, and China, Dr
Phua argues for the importance of viewing US-China relations through the lens of “cul-
tural rationalism.” His elaboration of the concept allows him to tease out the pragmatic
tendencies of the US and China, and how they can facilitate the superpowers’ peaceful
co-existence in times of geopolitical tension and uncertainty. Scholars and students of
international relations will find this book an engaging and provocative read.”
Professor Khong Yuen Foong, Lee Ka Shing
Professor of Political Science,
National University of Singapore
“Pragmatism has great potential in the theory and practice of international relations.
Charles Phua previously contributed to the scaffolding of Strategic Pragmatism in foreign
policy. In this sequel, Charles Phua extends his pragmatism thesis further to include
cultural perceptions and misperceptions with a hope that both the US and China can
rekindle their innate pragmatic tendencies and creatively find win-win solutions for mutual
interdependence and a path towards cooperation rather than conflict.”
Professor Sarah Kreps, John L. Wetherill
Professor in the Department of Government,
Director, Cornell Tech Policy Lab, Cornell
University, and non-resident senior fellow,
Brookings Institution.
“China has been rising really fast in the past few decades, perhaps too fast for many
political leaders and analysts in the rest of the world to have time to update their
knowledge about this rising power. As a result, misperceptions and misunderstand-
ings may have played an unfortunate role in shaping many countries’ reactions to
China’s intentions and policies. Dr. Phua’s new book is a great work that helps us
understand China as China, particularly China’s pragmatism from its own cultural
perspectives. More accurate understanding of Chinese pragmatism will be tremen-
dously useful for the purpose of managing Sino-US differences and conflicts and
maintaining peace and security in the Asia Pacific.”
Professor Li Mingjiang, Provost’s
Chair in International Relations at the
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies,
Nanyang Technological University
“The ongoing strategic, economic, technological, and diplomatic competition between
the United States and China has become the definitive issue of our time. As this
great power rivalry deepens, the search for ways to manage bilateral tensions and
identify green shoots of cooperation has become more urgent. Using the concept of
Cultural Pragmatism, Charles Phua mines deep into the ideational reservoirs of
American and Chinese society to unearth historical elements of cultural dynamism
that, he argues, should lend to much-needed policy pragmatism even as decision-
makers in Washington and Beijing calibrate their approach to each other. This novel
way of thinking about Sino-US relations should be of interest to all who are con-
cerned about the future of this relationship.”
Professor Joseph Chinyong Liow, Tan Kah
Kee Chair of Comparative and International
Politics and Dean of Humanities, Arts and Social
Sciences, Nanyang Technological University
“The US and China appear to be in loggerheads, but this needs not be the outcome.
Sun Tzu is famous for ‘winning without fighting’. The world may have read about
Sun Tzu but never really understood Sun Tzu. Charles Chao Rong Phua’s book
showcases a deep understanding of Sun Tzu, where the purpose of military force is
meant to stop fighting and the best strategic positioning is to design mutual security
without destroying the enemy. The question is whether scholars and policymakers
can appreciate Sun Tzu as he is and transplant lessons to modern day problems. A
deep cultural understanding of both the US and China is critical for world peace.”
Professor Hwy-Chang Moon, Professor
Emeritus, Graduate School of International
Studies, Seoul National University, and author
of The Art of Strategy: Sun Tzu, Michael Porter and
Beyond.
“Following up his previous work on strategic pragmatism in foreign policy, Charles
Phua goes a step further by seeking to demonstrate how two different political sys-
tems with two different goals – the US and China – can coexist peacefully if they
can negotiate a two-track world leadership model focusing on economic and military
dominance in which each side accepts the primacy of the other in one of these realms.
In the course of setting out his provocative argument, Phua offers valuable insights
on such topics as the origins of Chinese philosophy, the contrast between Anglo-
American and Chinese international relations theory, and the (mis)use of Sunzi in
US military thinking.”
Professor Stanley Rosen, Professor of Political Science
and International Relations,
Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences,
University of Southern California
“Despite Chinese and American tendency to ascribe non-rational impulses to the
other’s policy making, Charles Chao Rong Phua shows that pragmatism is a cultural
trait of both Chinese and American approaches to politics. Through a close exami-
nation of the literature on the Chinese classics and of contemporary American and
Chinese theoretical treatments of international politics, Phua shows that common
cultural traits allow mutual pragmatic accommodation and a stable and cooperative
U.S.-China relationship.”
Professor Robert S. Ross, Professor of Political Science
at Boston College and Associate,
John King Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies,
Harvard University
“In terms of foreign policy, many are often confused by China’s stress of holding
principle in contrast of its real performance. This phenomenon actually also hap-
pens for America for its foreign policy making and deviation. Charles has offered a
unique tool of cultural penetration to decipher the source of their actual pragmatism.
His unique analysis contributes greatly to understanding China, the US, as well
as their mutual perception and strategic interaction. A top-rate must-read for pro-
fessionals as well as general public when the world is so rich in distrust and even
conflict.”
Professor Shen Dingli, Deputy Dean of
Institute of International Studies, and Director,
Centre for American Studies, Fudan University
“Cultural Pragmatism is a valuable and important concept created with elaboration
by Dr. Charles Chao Rong Phua, a scholar having multiple cultural backgrounds.
Cultural Pragmatism rejects self-righteousness, exclusiveness, extra-moralism and
ideological bias, all in terms of the strongly felt cultural superiority. One could have
no confidence as Dr. Phua might have in the probability of perhaps the mainstream
opinions in both the United States and China to apply it to the U.S.-China rela-
tions in their so severe deterioration, but still both should learn something from this
distinguished book, first of all because this deterioration has been driven partly by
each other’s feeling or even belief in the cultural superiority of its own.”
Professor Shi Yinhong, Distinguished
Professor of International Relations,
Renmin University of China
“China and the United States are, respectively, the typical representatives of the ori-
ental and western cultures. But there is an interesting phenomenon, when Americans
and Chinese meet in person, they will find it very easy to get along with each other.
Dr. Charles Chao Rong Phua’s research finds that the reason lies in the fact that
both peoples have “innate pragmatist tendencies”. His book constructs a meaningful
theoretical analysis framework of “Cultural Pragmatism”, which shows that China
and the United States can get out of the gridlock of confrontation. As both China
and the United States are civilization-states, we should pay attention to the cultural
homogeneity of the two sides, and should not put too much emphasis on ideological
political differences. This will promote mutual respect and friendly relations between
the two countries.”
Professor Su Hao, Professor in the Department
of Diplomacy, and Founding Director,
Center for Strategic and Peace Studies,
Chinese Foreign Affairs University
“As China and the United States increasingly confront one another in Asia and
the world, they need to consider the importance in the region of the more optimistic
outlook based on Dr. Phua’s broad-ranging argument.”
Professor Robert Sutter, Professor of
Practice of International Affairs,
George Washington University
“At a time when deteriorating US-China relations poses a potentially grave threat
to world prosperity and stability, Charles Chao Rong Phua’s book offers a lucid and
optimistic plea for each side to better understand the international relations traditions
of the other.”
Professor Michael Szonyi, Frank Wen-hsiung Wu
Professor of Chinese History and
Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies,
Harvard University
“US and China are great powers. With great power, comes great responsibil-
ity. Can both be partners to share responsibility for the betterment of the world?
Charles Phua argued that both countries have pragmatic tendencies (strategic prag-
matism) and if they add deeper cultural understanding of one another (Cultural
Pragmatism), then they can work towards a win-win future of common prosperity
and stability.”
Professor Wang Zhengyi, Distinguished
Professor and Chang Jiang Scholar, School of
International Studies, Peking University
“US-China scholars often believe both US and China are pragmatic. Dr Charles
Chao Rong Phua examined this perspective with interesting insights. The most
memorable insight is that US’s pragmatism leans towards security interest while
Chinese pragmatism leans towards economic interest. A clear identification and
acknowledgement of differing yet possibly complementary interests by both US and
China is pivotal towards exploring win-win solutions.
In an age of multi-civilisational cooperation-competition (co-optition), contact
between Judeo-Christian civilisation represented by America and Chinese civilisa-
tion may become a clash of civilisations. Hence, in order to promote positive col-
laborations, both sides need to deeply understand each other, and the US and West
needs to understand ‘China as China’. This is where Charles Phua’s Cultural
Pragmatism in US-China Relations offers a paradigm shifting perspective.”
Professor Xue Li, Director, Institute of World
Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences, and Professor and
Doctoral Supervisor of International Relations,
University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
‘As a researcher on Chinese decision-making, I am struck by how cognitive biases
have affected Chinese decision-making and public policies. The biases have produced
both negative as well as positive consequences depending on contexts. Dr. Phua’s
new book helps us to better understand the cultural dimension of such biases.’
Professor Dali L. Yang, Willaim Claude
Reavis Professor of Political Science,
University of Chicago
“China and the United States are two great powers in international affairs. Must
US-China be competing destructively? Western history and culture appear so.
Charles Phua’s research offered a different perspective from Chinese strategic prag-
matism. In Cultural Pragmatism, Phua opines that Chinese culture leans towards
mutual economic prosperity rather than security dominance. There is common space
to allow both countries to compete constructively in economics and uplift development
of many countries, yet also develop a shared global security architecture. The latter
is easier when the ‘enemy’ is not one another but rather the ‘other’ like terrorism,
climate change and common threats to humanity.”
Professor Ye Zicheng, Founding Director,
China Center for Strategic Studies,
Peking University
“With a unique insight into the origins of Chinese political thought, Charles Chao
Rong Phua offers a provocative diagnosis of misperceptions between the US and
China and presents Cultural Pragmatism as an enlightened prescription to cross the
chasm between the two great powers. A must read for all who care about this hugely
important topic.”
Professor Zhang Weiwei, Dean,
China Institute, Fudan University
CULTURAL PRAGMATISM FOR
US-CHINA RELATIONS
The Thucydides trap and a US-China face-off are not structurally inevitable;
US-China relations are what the US and China make of them. Phua focuses on the
ability to see “US as US” and “China as China” to trigger both countries’ cultural
tendencies towards pragmatism.
Phua examines China’s arduous journey to fit in the Westphalian system,
the deep cultural misunderstandings by the West of Sunzi’s The Art of War,
and attempts to offer an inside-out cultural synthesis of classical and modern
Chinese thought as a proxy of their operational code, beyond the standard
clichés about Confucian and Daoist thought. He builds on Jervis’ perception
and misperception as well as Alastair Johnston’s cultural realism. Readers will
benefit from a culturally-Chinese, western-educated and politically neutral
understanding of “China as China”.
An essential primer for academics, practitioners and students of international
relations, diplomacy and Chinese culture.
Charles Chao Rong Phua runs Solaris Strategies Singapore (and chairs Solaris
Consortium of Management Consultancies) dedicated to pragmatically solving com-
plex problems involving governments, corporates and underserved non-profits at sec-
tor and enterprise levels. This follows two decades in government functioning as head
research trainer in defence and chief external affairs supporting cities and infrastructural
diplomacy. Charles also presides over the Association for Public Affairs (Singapore) spear-
heading active citizenry in policymaking and served as chief judge for the Singapore
Model Cabinet and Parliament series organised by the government.
He is an internationally certified management consultant, facilitator, project
manager, SAFe agile practitioner with a doctorate in public policy, degrees in
international relations, security management, education, accounting, organisational
psychology, systems thinking and law, and completed executive education in
strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability and marketing from leading
business schools: Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, Berkeley, Babson,
INSEAD, Cambridge, Oxford, London Business School. He currently serves as
series editor for Routledge series for strategy, wisdom and skills with a commitment
to codify academic + practitioner wisdom in applied and interdisciplinary fields. He is
adjunct faculty specialising in applied problem-solving at the National University of
Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University,
Singapore University of Social Sciences, University of St Gallen and Civil Service
College Singapore. He was a Fulbright fellow with resident fellowships at Brookings
Institution, Columbia and Johns Hopkins.