US-China Mutual Trust Committee
Historical and Cultural Context
Rationale
Our Committee is of the conviction that to understand the present, we need to look back to the past. Accordingly we offer here a parallel look at the historical context and cultural perspectives of both the US and China, and a summary of our findings.
US Perspectives on the World: Historical and Cultural Context
We examine three topics that have lasting effects in how the US views the world:
The Doctrine of Discovery, Colonialism, and Euroocentrism in Europe and the US
Early US Trade with China
The US in the 21st Century
Chinese Perspectives on the World: Historical and Cultural Context
We examine three corresponding topics in Chinese history that shed light on how China views the world:
China’s Tribute System and Sinocentrism
Chinese in the US
China in the 21st Century
Summary of Findings
From a review of the historical and cultural context of both US and China’s perspectives on the world (as explored more fully in the Appendix), we can summarize the following observations:
Differences in Historical Practices
World Economy
International Diplomacy