Editor’s note: The author was trained in political science and works at Renmin University in China. He has widely published in Chinese and English. This piece first appeared in Chinese in the China Digital Times.
There was no time to discuss abstract morality, it was survive or perish. In the moment, the question was and is not whether we can survive, but whether the weak nations should be permitted to make tremendous sacrifices, so that we all ultimately can live. This kind of survival, living day to day if that — if you are an intellectual, would you actually be willing to placidly accept this?
BY: ZHANG MING
The Russia-Ukraine war has entered its fourth year. After Donald Trump returned to power, he became absolutely full of himself, and felt omnipotent. However, inexplicably, he chose the side of the aggressor as he began to think about a peace plan for Russia and Ukraine. In the plan so far Russia has not provided Ukraine with any guarantee of peace, not even a verbal promise, but instead demands Ukraine face reality and, according to Russia’s calculations, give in and essentially surrender. And when Trump and Zelensky met in the Oval Office on February 28, a rare scene in the history of diplomacy played out: blatant bullying in the White House, in front of reporters.
But there is nothing new under the sun. An analogous episode happened in China before. After the Nanjing Massacre in 1937, the city of Wuhan fell. At this time, China really had no cards to play. It had lost its entire navy, most of its air force, almost all of its German-equipped divisions, large tracts of territory had already fallen, and all coastal ports were lost. At this time Germany, China’s largest aid donor, sent people to China to mediate, asking China to recognize the situation, acknowledge reality, and make peace with Japan. However, if China agreed not only would it not be able to get its Northeast back, but China would also become a de facto vassal state of Japan. This reality is almost exactly the same as the reality that the United States wants Ukraine to recognize.
Source: https://www.yibao.net/2025/03/06/white-house-bullying-and-a-lesson-from-chinese-history/