Kissinger was national security adviser in President Richard Nixon's administration, and almost 40 years ago he made a secret trip to confer with the Chinese, a voyage that paved the way for the normalization of relations between Washington and Communist China. He recently has written a book, "On China," and appeared Sunday on CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS."
Asked whether he had any inkling four decades ago that China would become the global power it is today, competing with the United States economically and technologically, Kissinger said, "It would have been inconceivable. Nobody had any such perception or expectation."
Since those talks, relations between China and the United States have remained stable, Zakaria noted. In recent years, China has tried to get America's help in modernizing its economy, tacitly supporting a lot of U.S. foreign policy, Zakaria said. But some believe that may be changing now and that a new chapter of Chinese foreign policy may be beginning.
"There are elements in China who, particularly after the financial crisis, feel that there has been a fundamental shift in the balance of power and that the international conduct of China and the results of its conduct should reflect this," Kissinger said. "But one shouldn't think that all of this is America's fault, because the Chinese - we have been dominant in the last 50 years - they've been dominant in 1,800 of the last 2,000 years.
"And you know, I think America is entering a world in which we are neither dominant nor can we withdraw, but we are still the most powerful country," he said. "So how to conduct ourselves in such a world - it's a huge test for us. And China is the most closely approximate country in terms of power. And one with such a complex history. It's a big challenge."
Another Cold War is not the answer, he said, as that "would lead to confrontations over an extended period of time that would be draining to both societies and draining to the countries that have to deal with both societies."
President Barack Obama's approach to China is "fundamentally correct," said Kissinger, who served as secretary of state under Presidents Nixon and Gerald Ford. "What we fundamentally need with the Chinese is to come to an understanding of where we both think we are going.
"And I believe the best thing that Nixon did, that we did in the Nixon administration, was not that we were super skillful on practical problems, but we were willing to spend many hours explaining how we thought in middle- and long-run terms, and so did the Chinese."
While that didn't help on the actual day of the conversation, "when something came up, you could have some feeling that the other side, when it was reported to them, would have a framework within which to interpret it," he said. "This is still not adequately done."
Asked whether he is reluctant to criticize China more publicly on its human rights record, Kissinger said, "I'm not reluctant at all. And I insist on affirming my preference for democracy and my rejection of autocratic and dictatorial institutions. At the same time, there are a number of people, very few, who have, over a period of decades, established the confidence of the Chinese leadership. And we think that we are in a better position to bring about the achievement of these objectives by using influence in such a way that there is no demonstrated victor or loser.
"I have said that when I engage myself in China, as I do periodically on individual cases, I do not do it in a public confrontation, but in a personal dialogue. That is really the nature of the disagreement. It is not a disagreement as to the importance of the objective," he said.
On whether he thinks Obama is "Kissingerian," Kissinger - who endorsed Republican candidate Sen. John McCain in the 2008 election - said, "My impression of Obama is that he would like to believe that you can sweep the world by the power of ideas, and that the ideas alone will dominate the world, and that you can ignore the equilibrium part of the equality, and that you can do it with rhetoric. ... That's what he'd like to believe."
But Obama, he said, is also "a good mind. And so he looks at the world and sees what's actually happening. So when he speaks, he often sounds as if he were in the world of ideas alone. When he acts, he is very conscious of reality. I think he's basically very close, if I put his actions together, to the objectives that I affirm."
Obama, he said, may view his remarks as "a private compliment, but he will not want to advertise it."
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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kissinger should be jailed for the war crimes committed in his name.
Crimes are committed routinely against the US that are worse than Kissinger's and the perpetrators will never be punished.
Our friend and ally, the Israelis, have been for years spying on the US in a constant search for new technology and selling the acquired secrets to China, which is applying the technology in their armed forces, says Philip Giraldi, former CIA counter-terrorism specialist. AIPAC does not allow the US government to shut down the lucrative spy network.
No, Kissenger should admit that he in the early 1970s underestimated the will of the Chinese to beat the world: "It would have been inconceivable. Nobody had any such perception or expectation."
I do believe the crackdown of the Tienanmen Squre protests sparked the determination of Deng Xiaoping to spur the economic reforms. The image of China was rock bottom. Deng Xiaooing needed a feat to impress the world, so that he twist it around his little finger. His plans worked and led to the double-digit growth of China's economy. The masses could enjoy after years of deprivations prosperity. The rest is history.
Actually China's economy didn't take off until it joined the World Trade Organization and got Most Favored Nation status from the US. If not for that, China would just be a larger version of North Korea. Their 5 year plans were a joke, until they got a foothold in the world economy that no longer tariffed their short selling of labor.
So you can chalk it up to whatever Chinese leader you want, the only thing they had to do with it was using the 100s of millions of laborers in your country to undercut the world labor markets and loot technology in the process.
Kissinger would never dare to admit that he was wrong, he under estimated the Chinese as well as the Vietnamese communists. Anyone cares to look at the chinese history would be able to see their dream to rule the world. Kissinger was ignorant and his ignorance and arrogance led to decisions that harm millions of lives. He is a criminal and should be ashame of himself.
Kissinger is a war criminal. He sold out South Vietnam. How many thousands of Vietnameses died in concentration camps and many mores perished trying to escape the communist regime. Now he tries to become a propaganda mouthpiece for China .by defending this nation which uses its military powers to threaten small neighboring countries. Who pays you ,Kissinger, for the two interviews by CNN and NPR ( talk to the nation)? Is this China?
Pakistan is lucky to have such a solid god-father -china. Now in future , pakistan will sell itself to the chinese. After stealing 20 billion dollars from the usa, they will now pick the pockets of the rich chinese who have trillions of dollars reserves. China has given pak the nukes which will be used by them against the americans, europeans, etc- Hail the new world of rogue states- china, pakistan, north korea etc
Hi Joe, or should I say, Xiao.
The world should be thanking Pakistan for the economic, social, political, sacrifices made by the Pakistanis in fighting the war on terrorism. We all know that the root causes of terrorism is the Indian suppression of human rights and democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. Also, the Palestinian issue. Think tanks put the $ value of financial costs to Pakistan over $ 1 Trillion. Besides, over 50,000 Pakistanis have sacrificed their lives in this war!!! So the world cannot payback the Pakistani's enough. The support they are getting is PEANUTS or shall we say GARBANZO BEANS!!!
Now as to the Nukes, the last I checked CNN, they were all pointed towards India in response to its huge military buildup across the border. We all know that a new world order is emerging. This order envisages a Greater Pakistan concept including Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Punjab and Rajasthan. So GIDDYUP!!
Yeah, Giddy up to get wiped up...This country never gets the reality. Pak soon going to be "cold war battle ground" as Afghanistan was in early 70s & 80s.
How do you think the people of those states view america and the western world? Sit down and think for a while before you put fingers on keyboard.
kissinger seems to understand obama better than most american politicians and intellectuals. obama is the world's most thoughtful speaker with his brilliant knowledge of english language. his speeches contents practical and philosophical meanings related to world and domestic politics and has similarity with india's first prime minister, jaharlal nehru. however nehru needed to be more practical to solve india's multiferrous problems, obama needs to be more practical also to maintain world's no. 1 power. american people will have no food problem ever, if properly grown and distributed, but u. s govt to start developing alternate energy sources, install safety measures for present and future nuclear power plants and train workers to produce all kind of manufacturing goods from automobiles to airplanes with quality at cheaper price and maintain supremacy in it industries and robotics.
Kissinger promoted US ties w/ China even knowing the CCP oppressed its people as well as Tibetans & Uighurs. Kissinger believes the US should turn a blind eye to human rights in China, Tibet & E. Turkestan (Xinjiang). He doesn't want freedom & democracy in the world.
So have the so called "freedom" worked out in the US? Cough*lobbiests*cough. & The war in the middle east.....that went on for over ten years. Please practice what you preach before preaching it.
You have freedom and democracy in the us and your economy is in the toilet. Just imagine, some of us in the west despise the progressive governments of the new world order. Imagine, a communist country, with a bad human rights record beat the free enterprise, democratic countries at their own game in just a short 15 years. What is so bad about China? What is so good about free enterprise, democracy and freedom when the proponents of these three ideologies screw up the rest of the world that is trying to progress and those who will not lick as**es.
The unemployment problem in the States is a serious abuse of human rights for many people.
In the reality of the international politics, the human rights issue is only a bargaining chip. Look at how the U.S. government turns a blind eye to Saudi Arabia. When president Truman tried to convince the american publics and congress of his containment policy, he appealed to ideology rather than balance of power. Pure strategic consideration.
Extemely thougtful insigths! Dialoguing with China is extremely important to long term stability. The lessons that can be learned from the past must be applied now in this relationship with an emerging global power to be.
China needs to realize that it is ironically, capitalism and not communism tha is giving it real clout now and in the future.
I can't believe this crook is still alive and not in jail.
Im even more surporise to read all the things here....wow !!!! no wonder why they still are in control of the world...i think we do deserve this....allot of gentiles around this world.
I'd rather read about Sarah Palin than hear this disgraced, has-been lecture everyone on stuff a high school senior already knows about China.
Perhaps Mr. Kissinger has a few hundred tons of bombs left over from the genocide he committed against Laos and Cambodia?
Please stop wasting our time and giving voice to egomaniacs, CNN. If you must, limit your coverage to maniacs like Newt. To the best of my understanding, Newt has never ordered or carried out the annihiliation of several hundred thousand people.
Hi Michelle. Do you have morons around you everywhere you look? Holding up signs that say "Run Michelle Run"? Everywhere I look there's idiots holding up signs saying "Run Sarah Run". I can't seem to shake these morons. Then the media keeps following me too. WTF is going on?
Kissinger is a pig. An apologist for the chinese regime. He always keep reminding the US that we need to see where they are comng from!! screw that! China always bring up how they were persecuted and treated in the past. get over it! They had episodes of power that were diminished by themselves and not by western powers or japan. the prc is just a govt of china–the 5000 years were not all chinese govts and they were all not the same govts or dynasties! How come Kissinger wont tell the chinese what are Taiwanese views and sentiments on wanting dejure independence!!! WOnder how much Kissinger still gets paid by the chinese govt???!!! Tired of hearing that he is an expert on China! FU that
Henry Kissinger's historic trip to the People's Republic of China nearly 40 years ago that led to establishment of diplomatic relations between the two great powers.
In this regard, I believe a brief mention of Pakistan's role in facilitating Mr. Kissinger's crucial July 1971 visit to China would have been in order. It was the dedicated work of Pakistani leadership and diplomats that helped set up Mr. Kissinger's trip, which led to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two great powers.
Indeed, Pakistan's efforts in bringing to an end the tensions between the United States and China is universally recognized, including by President Nixon and Mr. Kissinger, as an important contribution to international peace. It is also worth noting that Mr. Kissinger even flew to Beijing from Pakistan's Chaklala airbase, near Rawalpindi, and in a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane.
I like the band Kiss. So any Kiss Singer is OK in my book. When I'm elected president, I'm going to invite all Kiss Singers to the White (not black) house to party with all my rich republican friends.
Nixon and Kissinger went to China and opened the can of worrms and NOW we have a problem?
The problem is YOUR teasonous act in the first place.
Don't like China's rise? To bad, China is exactly what YOU have allowed it to become by nomalizing relations with China to the detriment on the American worker.
Obama and Congress can repeal China's MFN (Most Favored Nation) Trade status and bring 8 million lost jobs back to the USA anytime they wish. That was Clinton's gift to America in 1999 in exchange for laundered Chinese campaign contributions.
Republican supporters, YOU and big business would stop that.
Major Corporations have found that China's State Sponsorship of Capitalism is the idea market for them to be in.
Unlike the US....
No environmental laws.
No child labor laws.
No Patent enforcement.
Blatant counterfeiting of US products.
No Unions.
Low wages.
Long hours.
No benefits.
Lol, Even US Corporate expenses related to out sourcing American jobs are tax deductable. Its true. Google the thread and read it for yourself.
It is really to Ironic that the very same Americans displaced by out sourcing and out of work pay the tab for those very tax deductions.
Ya, we have a problem and the poster child is your ugly face.
You forget, "China has more honour students than the US have students," instead of looking at other people's suppose negatives, why not look at your screwed up education system. There was an issue of The econmist that explored uneducated men in America, way more than other "developed" countries, the current debate on CNN, I'm still not sure if it's for or against. Although there are problems, the problem isn't always "jobs are being shipping over" since the US may have democracy, but in name only, you know, your point about the corporations and all, good questions to ask are...
Do you have a higher education?
Is a higher education valued by the society/ your family?
Can your education/grade compare internationally or with international student?
Not saying that there aren't problems in China, but if all you can do is whine and blame them on things that may or may nt be happening.......that's why we're ahead. Talk is cheap, Actions delivers results.
Every nation has many problems what you see China rise donot mean all the Chinese have good life there are 56 provines of China many people need to have a basic living so China needs to rise to help the Chinese people who used to live extremly proverty before the 80's ( I know some evidences) THERE IS NO SUCH CHINA WILL TAKE OVER THE WORLD they are too busy to make a living and live peacefully, what we need to do is to look out for jobs which are in demanding in the health and social areas many elderly and sick people needed help .etc. God bless the whole world!!..
quote Michelle Bachman "Perhaps Mr. Kissinger has a few hundred tons of bombs left over from the genocide he committed against Laos and Cambodia?" Yep. About 300 mainly children are blown up by them still every year in Laos thanks to Mr Kissinger. The only kissing this man comes close to apart from with blonds, is with his partner Death. How can anybody seriously trust this man? How can he sleep at night knowing that an innocent child probably had a leg blown off that day from one of his bombs?
Americans used to care who are in trouble, not who are the richest or the mightiest or dress up most weird ways... What has gone wrong in America? This news proves the good America is on its sunset. Please stop raising selfish generations by selfish concerns. China has 0.1 billion Christians thanks to American missionaries. She will be alright with USA. She just needs to learn to protect Israel.
Americans, stop worrying about staying on the top. From the stuff you entertain yourselves with or what you get concerned, you no longer deserves the sole #1 place. Crazy nationalism was still better than your present filthy, unending selfism. Nationalism has some purposes but selfishness has no meaning. Your forefathers did not seek the little family happiness when others were in trouble. Recognize God raises nations and put them down. American cleverness comes to nothing just as any empires. Read the Old Testament Bible. That'll give you true wisdom and make you last longer. Don't go regressed any further than now by trying to learn the self-defeating stuff from pagans.
Good beginning statement and all but why bring religon in to this??? It's because of some idealogy within religon that there is unrest.....care to explain?
i dont understand why would mr kissinger view china as a threat . if he does so it means china view america as a threat as well
Special Library
http://rideriantieconomicwarfaretrisii.blogspot.com/
China a challenge? Thanks, sherlock!
If Americans will ever go back to work, they need to put tarriffs on Chinese goods, and pay more for their goods. It would be a return to something like the consumption levels of the 60's and 70's, with a few changes (plus computers, minus cheap oil). People were happy then, it will be no problem.
STOP FEARING/HATE MONGERING, FIX UP THE PROBLEMS IN THE US FIRST BEFORE COMPETING WITH CHINA. THE US RIGHT NOW IS IN NO CONDITION TO COMPETE WITH IT'S FOCUS ON WAR (GOVERNMENT WISE).
WAR : ECONOMICS IS LIKE COMPARING A COMPUTER VIRUS : A ROBOT. THEY CAN'T BE COMPARED.
If Kissinger feels Obama is fundamentally right-Why did China vote against using force of any kind in Lybia–and certainly doesn't support Yemen? Kissinger's attitude is more than questionable-America needs a great leader--a voice that is heard with respect around the world.
henry dosent like what obama's doint in world affairs but he does understand him i know henry and his brother. ive had snacks at there houses personallly and have talked to both of them about world issues if anyone can resolve these types of issues its henry and walter we need to listen to them and respect what they have to say after all there americans and are looking after our best in there hearts...........p.s. walter needs to lay off the onions in the morning lol....
By the year 2016. China should have 12 times the steel production capabilities of America, 45 times the electronics production capabilities of America and 120 times the shipbuilding production capabilities of America.
Therefore, by the year 2016, China should have the scientific knowledge and the advanced cutting-edge technology to be able to design more advanced military weapons than America, such as more advanced stealth fighters, submarines, nuclear ballistic missiles, laser weapons, and so on...
Furthermore, China would also have the industrial production capabilities to produce 5 times more of those highly advanced military weapons than America.
China already has 5 times more population and 5 times more military manpower than America.
Therefore, it is obvious that the Chinese military would have the potential to be 5 times bigger and 5 times more powerful than the US military by 2016.
By the year 2016, China will have 5 times the military manpower of America, 5 times the number of potential soldiers, and China will have 5 times the industrial production capabilities of America in order to produce 5 times more military weapons than America.
Therefore, China will be able to build a Chinese military with 5 times more men and 5 times more weapons than America by 2016.
China will have 5 times the military potential of America by 2016.
see http://asians-against-racism.socialgo.com/forum/topic/27
If not for Kissinger and Nixon's daring effort to talk to China back in the 70s, the world would be a more dangerous place. I only wish Americans would grow up and learn to live with other nations peacefully. We no longer live in a world where America rules the world. It's fading. Get real and admit the this fact. Only then we can be proud of ourselves as Americans. Otherwise, we just live in a fantasy world where we think we're great, but everybody laughs at us! We think we are #1 in everything, but sadly not true. We're #1 in the budget deficit, that's for sure. When we are strong, we take credit for ourselves. When we're not so strong now, we balme it on everyone. What a brat. Wake up.
no one can predict any one
please donot contradict – as freedom and democracy in action then no one should be no 1 of the world and rules others everyone has a fair share and rights i.e. RESPECT ALL LIFE ALL NATIONS ALL THINGS IN THIS PLANET ...SO SAY NO TO WARS...
On September 11, 1973 (ironically same date 911), the democratically elected President of Chile Salvador Allende was overthrown in a coup organized by the Chilean military and endorsed by the United States. Kissinger made a statement supporting the coup at that time "We can not allow Chilean people to make such a bad choice". Then this man comes out and touts about being a champion of human rights and democracy. What a shame and hypocrisy.
I'm a hose monster.
Well, China had been on tattered clothes, and kowtowing to the West, until 1949. They got to be let stand up, wouldn't you think? Their human rights are amazingly improved with the economy. 1.3 billion pulled out of poverty, freedom of travel, and so forth. Let's not call the Chinese communists, cuz they are really not.
That's not what Kissinger means to express in his book. Stupid CNN.
I believe that history will remember the silence of Western leaders and news outlets. Through their policies of free trade with Communist China, they have continued to lavish rewards upon the communists, dictators, tyrants and thugs who oppress China. With their deliberate blind eye for this persecution, they have brought shame to a Western world that once vowed, "Never again" in the face of genocide.
Let me be clear. Their China policy is no better than "leaving the Jews in the gas chambers." Their China policy is one of moral cowardice, and reveals craven indifference to human suffering. Western China policy is akin to a crime against humanity of its very own.
People forget exactly what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) truly is. A brutal regime that has murdered 80 million of its own people since 1949 and is concerned with nothing but its own survival.No human rights whatsoever and an enemy of the free world. The only reason any country is dealing with the cruel CCP is corporate greed. The same corporate greed that censors our own media from telling us the truth about the CCP. To learn more facts one may go on line and read The Nine Commentaries. Thank you for your consideration.
America only had the number 1 spot for less than 100 years and are now far from a democracy.China was the technological leader of the world untill the 14th centery.The reason for the change in dominance was the fact they didn't have a workable alphabetand the influences of Confucianism and Daoism.Also the propensity of each succeeding dynasty to eradicate all traces of the one that came before it.Witch resulted in ideological stagnation and cultural amnesia.A jesuit missionary displaying a clock amazed the Chinese npot nowing that they themselfs had invented it 1000 years before.Also people are told and think the bible was the most printed book but not so.The book printed the most was Quotations from Chairman Mao,or the littel red book was printed the most with a number 7,000,000,000 I think that 700 billion books that at one time every citizen of China always had one with them.China does have probl;ems but there is 1 and a half billion peop[le more than 10 times Americas population.Really they will be returning to the spot they held before America was ever thought of.And I'm sure they won't travil the world forcing them to live how they tell them.They will have learnt from history unlike America.Really they just have to look at America over the past 60 years and have a map how not to do things.They will never sell there people out like America has done for Israel.Obviously the people running America are not that smart to let Israel use them like the zionist jews did to russia.Thats somthing China has seen over and over a are not stupid were they will let it happen to them.Why be scared of China I say congrats now its Americas turn to watch what made them great and learn from it.No country will ever rule thew entire world without continual war.And thats not a way to live as America is now seeing.I'm Canadianm and just want Canada to stay out of Americas Illegal wars.By the way Kissinger is a killar that kills men,women,and children.But he probably never did it himself he got some kid to do it that one day will have to awnser for it but so will Kissinger.Bush was going to have him head thje 9/11 commision report.That was a joke but the hole report turned out to be a joke.
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