The German, Chinese and EU flags fly in Berlin, Germany, in readiness for German-Chinese bilateral government talks last year. Just as Germany sits at the centre of the EU, China could one day be the leader of a future Asian Union – if it heeds the lessons of history. Photo: EPA-EFE The German, Chinese and EU flags fly in Berlin, Germany, in readiness for German-Chinese bilateral government talks last year. Just as Germany sits at the centre of the EU, China could one day be the leader of a future Asian Union – if it heeds the lessons of history. Photo: EPA-EFE
The German, Chinese and EU flags fly in Berlin, Germany, in readiness for German-Chinese bilateral government talks last year. Just as Germany sits at the centre of the EU, China could one day be the leader of a future Asian Union – if it heeds the lessons of history. Photo: EPA-EFE
Andrei Lungu
Opinion

Opinion

Andrei Lungu

As China seeks a prosperous and peaceful rise, 20th-century Germany has lessons to offer

  • After two unsuccessful world wars, Germany finally achieved its dream of European leadership by rejecting nationalistic hard power and embracing compromise
  • China can do the same in the Asia-Pacific by giving up hard power and extending cooperation, free trade and economic liberalism

Andrei Lungu
Andrei Lungu

Updated: 9:00pm, 4 Sep, 2019

Why you can trust SCMP
The German, Chinese and EU flags fly in Berlin, Germany, in readiness for German-Chinese bilateral government talks last year. Just as Germany sits at the centre of the EU, China could one day be the leader of a future Asian Union – if it heeds the lessons of history. Photo: EPA-EFE The German, Chinese and EU flags fly in Berlin, Germany, in readiness for German-Chinese bilateral government talks last year. Just as Germany sits at the centre of the EU, China could one day be the leader of a future Asian Union – if it heeds the lessons of history. Photo: EPA-EFE
The German, Chinese and EU flags fly in Berlin, Germany, in readiness for German-Chinese bilateral government talks last year. Just as Germany sits at the centre of the EU, China could one day be the leader of a future Asian Union – if it heeds the lessons of history. Photo: EPA-EFE
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