Dr. Hubertus Hoffmann, Founder of the World Security Network Foundation, on the Great Wall in China: "Real harmony cannot be attained through force, but only through dialogue and a smart policy coming from both local governments and from Beijing. Only a just system that respects the needs, cultures and wishes of local minorities can generate and maintain harmony. Beijing's main enemies are local bureaucrats with their old thinking. The new political priority of harmony must prevail."

The West is unsure of how to deal with China on the hot issues of Tibet, Taiwan, North Korea and human rights.

Should the U.S. and Europe stop talking about human rights issues, Tibet, or Taiwan because it might be inappropriate?

Not at all. But the West could take a very different approach.

China needs harmony both within and without. This is a key aim of the leadership. In summer 2009, President Hu Jintao gave a speech in which he outlined clearly four strengths that China needs to build to increase its power: economic competitiveness; political influence; image projection; and moral appeal. China wants and needs the world's admiration to become a true Great Power.

'Moral appeal' and 'harmony' are two important keywords of Chinese policy doctrine. But this remains to be implemented by hard-line, narrow minded mid-level bureaucrats, who tend to over-react and do more harm than good to those new principles of the Party....more