The Culture of Apology: How It Applies to Modern-Day China? | Tea with Erping

Welcome to Tea with Erkin. Let's talk about the idea of apologizing today. The ability to reflect upon oneself and not point towards others in an unfortunate situation is one refined quality. To be able to apologize, regardless whether you are in the wrong or not, would seem like a fine act of a big-hearted person. But when we are dealing with people who endlessly demand apologies, is it still right to simply go along? When I was still a student back at Harvard, there were tensions building up between China and Japan over what happened during World War II. In an attempt to alleviate this tension, Professor Ezra Vogel, a prominent East Asian scholar, invited some Japanese and Chinese students to his house for a discussion. Although I was already a naturalized U.S. citizen at the time, I was invited too. During our conversation, the Chinese side apparently selected who demanded Japan to apologize for its crimes during World War II. Meanwhile, the Japanese students all spoke individually on their own. Some felt Japan should acknowledge the war crimes, while others were a bit reluctant. Finally, Professor Vogel asked the Chinese students, had Mao and the CCP apologized for their own wrongdoings during the Cultural Revolution? The Chinese side became silent all of a sudden. After a while, the spokesman said, Now, without commenting on the rights and wrongs of the Second World War, I think the reason that the Chinese students felt so justified in demanding an apology is being used to it, that the Chinese government does it all the time. In fact, try Google China Demands Apology. It shows a very long list. The tagline is showing more and more frequently on any given day on headline news. It appears that the Chinese government is offended every time someone says something that's not complete flattery. This is what the Chinese Communist Party does, to display strength not only to other countries, but to people within China as well. Soon enough, apologizing to China would become a way for other countries to please the CCP in order to gain benefits in return. Sorry, before we jump onto the bad kind of apology, let's first talk about the good kind, that is, the sincere kind. When I first visited Taiwan, I was in a bit of a culture shock, not because of language differences, but because how polite Taiwanese people are. Growing up in China, I had rarely heard people saying which translates to feeling sorry for the inconvenience. But in Taiwan, I heard it everywhere I went, from getting a waiter's attention to trying to get past in a crowded space, and even to start a conversation. You will even hear Taiwanese say when receiving gifts instead of saying thank you, a stare expression implying sorry to have bothered you. A BBC travel report even calls Taiwan the island that never stops apologizing. Now you might wonder why Taiwanese people are so polite. This has a lot to do with traditional culture that came from ancient China, including Confucian ideas, which were passed down from generation to generation in Taiwan. Confucius believed in Here, propriety can also be interpreted as rights and customs. It defines certain behaviors that ought to be followed by junzi, or true gentlemen, and it's believed that people can cultivate their temperaments and improve their morals. As a result, a harmonious social order can be achieved. Confucianism was passed down relatively intact in Taiwan from historical times, and it became a key part of Taiwanese culture, which one can readily see from the gentle conduct of Taiwanese people. This is in stark contrast with what happens in China, If you have been to major cities in China, you likely will not hear words along the lines of I'm sorry while walking on the street. Even if two pedestrians collide, what immediately follows are more likely combative exchanges than a simple apology. Zhou Xiaozheng, a sociology professor at People's University in Beijing, said, It's much easier for a Westerner to say sorry than compared with the Chinese. I mean, they are always saying excuse me and sorry. Professor Zhou also pointed out, as a society, China lacks the spirit of apologizing. This starts with the communist government, I'm afraid. I did some online searching and have not been able to find any evidence of this party state apologizing to anyone, not even for sending its tanks to run over the students on Tiananmen Square in 1989. As we mentioned, Confucianism actually originated from China. But unlike its prosperity in Taiwan, Confucianism suffered greatly from the Communist Party's disastrous campaigns in the 20th century. If you have watched my previous videos, you would know that the Cultural Revolution was designed to get rid of traditional Chinese beliefs, or what the Party calls the Four Olds. Old ideas, old culture, old habits, and old customs. As a result, much of the essence of traditional Chinese culture was lost. And the conduct of Chinese people today are more defined by the Communist Party culture than the wisdom of traditional Chinese culture. Under the leadership of Xi Jinping, nationalism, or loyalty to the Communist Party has been put on steroids. But the 5,000-year-old traditions of civility and good conduct have taken a back seat. Despite the lack of apologizing within China, there's a long list of Western leaders, academics, corporate leaders, who have apologized to China. It almost appears to be that when it comes to working with the CCP, having to apologize is becoming the second nature of foreigners. The world has witnessed how major Western fashion brands that refuse to source cotton from China's Xinjiang region has paid a heavy price. State-sanctioned efforts to boycott H&M, Zara, Nike, and Gap have been relentless in China. So, to avoid losing the Chinese consumer market, some Western companies have taken the approach of self-censorship or self-disciplinary measures. For example, Disney's online streaming service Disney Plus has removed an episode of The Simpsons in Hong Kong that shows a sign that says Tiananmen Square on this side in 1989. Nothing happened. Recently, in naming the new variant of Omicron, the World Health Organization skipped two Greek letters to avoid the Xi variant, fearing offending Chinese Communist leader Xi Jinping. The latest joint bandwagon of apologizing to China was the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon. He apologized for making a quip that his bank is likely to outlast the Chinese Communist Party. The above phenomenon somewhat reminds me of the long-lived Western legend of Faustus. The story of a German necromancer or astrologer who sells his soul to the devil. The term a deal with the devil or Faustian bargain is also used metaphorically to condemn a person or persons perceived as having collaborated with an evil person or regime. Faust made a covenant with the devil back then. You promised me wealth and I surrendered my soul. This legend warns us to be wary of the cult of the ego. These are the hollow triumphs and short-lived. Indeed, as Jesus said in the Bible, As how the world has been since ancient times, good and evil do coexist. There are still rays of hope in humanity as we witness Baltic countries snubbing China's 17 plus 1 online summit this year. In an embarrassing situation for Beijing, over one-third of the 17 countries send lower-level ministers instead of heads of state to the summit. A few months after the summit, Lithuania left the 17 plus cooperation in defiance of Beijing's pressure campaign to keep Taiwan isolated on the global stage. Lithuania confirmed it would set up a trade office in Taiwan later this year and for Taiwan to establish a de facto embassy in its capital. The first de facto embassy in Europe, Lithuania's minister for education, science, and sports, said she will not attend Beijing's Winter Olympics. The statement comes after a joint statement on a boycott for the event was issued by Lithuania's Council of Foreign Affairs and members of the parliament. The congresspeople said, In retaliation, China downgraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania to the Sharjah Affairs level. Steadfast in the country's commitment to democracy and freedom, Lithuania is showing the world the way to resent China's economic coercion with its firmness and readiness to forsake material gain in the face of the communist region's growing intimidation tactics. As of 2021, only 15 countries officially recognized Taiwan as a sovereign country. Being true to your conscience and not apologizing just because has become a rare entity. To mean what you say and say what you mean. Reuters reported that the Women's Tennis Association said on December 1 that it will suspend all these tournaments in China immediately due to the concerns over the treatment of former doubles world number one Peng Shuai and the safety of other players. Peng accused former vice premier and head of Beijing's Winter Olympics organizing committee Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault. Please check my YouTube channel for an episode on this scandal. On December 9 and 10, the White House held a Summit for Democracy with leaders from about 110 countries around the world. China was not invited, but Taiwan was. Beijing denounced this summit as causing global division. White House spokeswoman Jane Psaki said, There's nothing we are going to apologize for no matter what the criticism is from any country around the world. Quite refreshing news to hear, wouldn't you agree? Here's a little thought of mine. Instead of focusing on the Communist Party's demeanor and thoughts, let's make use of our time in a better light. Why don't we challenge ourselves, starting with our very own daily life, to be truthful, to be genuinely kind, and honest to goodness? As Mahatma Gandhi said, Maybe one fine day in the near future, after all of our combined effort in changing to better ourselves has made an impact, the Communist Party of China will eventually crumble, and the Middle Kingdom will restore its historical glory in striving for righteousness, in morals and conduct. As the popular movie Love Story made its famous catchphrase to be at everyone's tip of tongue, to apply an unapologetic love because we don't find faults with one another could very well be at the tip of our very own heart. Until that day, may we strive in our dignified principles, with peace and tea in mind, needless to say.