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Comment by churchill | Hacker News Reader

Here's why I don't apply the same metric/standard to China & Russia. They don't pontificate about their morals. They're mask-off about their Schmittian approach to power.

Western countries preach about morals, human rights, rules-based order, and all kinds of bullshit but always seem to violate their acclaimed principles every Wednesday.

China sells weapons to everyone who has money, works with all kinds of regimes, and generally have a non-interventionist policy. That's why smaller countries tend to prefer partnering with them. They're not your fairy godmother, but at least they're honest about what they want.

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> China sells weapons to everyone who has money, works with all kinds of regimes, and generally have a non-interventionist policy.

China says that, but they put countries into enormous debt and then control them. They also build naval bases in many of those countries.

> smaller countries tend to prefer partnering with them

Countries near China's borders have turned strongly against their neighbor. The US has built a widespread network of alliances around that.

>China says that, but they put countries into enormous debt and then control them. They also build naval bases in many of those countries.

All the third-world countries that have had their debts to China blow out of control have been able to renegotiate.

>Countries near China's borders have turned strongly against their neighbor. The US has built a widespread network of alliances around that.

I'm not upholding China as a moral actor. They're as utilitarian as anyone else, but they're honest about it, that's all.

> They're as utilitarian as anyone else

Not every country is the same - that's a line used by bad actors to avoid scrutiny. And they are not honest about it - they say they don't interfere and are not acting for political interests, but they do.

> All the third-world countries that have had their debts to China blow out of control have been able to renegotiate.

I haven't read that but would be interested if you know of something. Also, what did they have to give up?

> They don't pontificate about their morals. They're mask-off about their Schmittian approach to power

What? China regularly sells itself as a peaceful alternative to America. Russia used to make that pitch until the irony became too ridiculous to maintain.

> China sells weapons to everyone who has money, works with all kinds of regimes, and generally have a non-interventionist policy

They’ve been brazen about Taiwan!

> why smaller countries tend to prefer partnering with them

Except all the ones within shooting distance.

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