East & West, Not East vs. West

The tension has been brewing, the rhetoric has been building and the reality has been ignored by both sides. I am of course referring to relations between China and the US (both directly and through surrogates). The reality is that both countries NEED each other but don't want to accept this reality, and are unwilling to brush political and cultural competition aside for true economic and social gain. Instead we are witnessing the rebuilding of a modern version of the "cold war" dominated by information (intellectual property in all its forms), technology and cultural superiority. We have been here before. The outcome is wasteful, unproductive and given our current environmental, social and economic state it could prove to be deadly.

Communication is fundamental in any relationship, from the most intimate to the most corporate. That is why it is surprising to find the smartest (read logical) and most competent leaders both in China and the US deploying soviet era strategy on each other. Both sides are playing a game of chess that relies on breaking the other in ways that don't matter as much, to avoid having to make real changes that matter to everyone (China, the US and the world at large). Superficial communications and hidden agendas are disrupting what could be the most productive relationship in the short history of humanity. Imagine if these leaders sat down to really tackle the big issues at the expense of both countries political agendas. Democrats and Republicans in the US would be forced to deal with the economic decisions that have made China their bank and would have to become flexible with their isms and almost cartoon-like disputes. The Chinese leadership would have to realize that pseudo-socialism is both cultural and economic disaster in the long run, and that modern capitalism is as much about profits as it is about people first. China and the US could balance each other greatly, creating synergies beyond commerce that would alter policy and set a standard for leadership, economic prosperity and social justice that would ripple across the entire planet.

I know this sounds like idealism, but to me this is just design pragmatism. To me all problems are design problems. Most solutions require the right information and that is an impossible goal without good communication. Every problem in government could be solved with design thinking, but it would require willing partners or at least good listeners willing to edit (politics) and synthesize (make an outline for change). Unfortunately couples who don't communicate end up splitting and in many cases divorcing each other. The economic, emotional and social impact of these breakups is usually quite painful, especially for children and families. I think citizens in China and the US know that breakups are tough, but I am not certain if they fully appreciate what a breakup on this scale could mean for all the children in this planet.