[ Qualifier ]

Western

In Chinese political discourse, “Western” functions as a qualifier that positions certain nations and systems as fundamentally contrary to Chinese interests. Primarily referring to the United States and Western European countries, it portrays them as a cohesive bloc (美西方) despite clearly discernible differences. The term has evolved from Cold War depictions of imperialists to characterizations of declining powers attempting to contain China’s rise and preserve an outdated international order. Chinese officials and state media emphasize several negative attributes: historical colonialism, perceived hypocrisy in promoting “universal values,” economic exploitation of developing nations, and more recently, internal divisions and resistance to a more equitable global order. More recent discourse emphasizes “China fear syndrome” (中国恐惧症) among Western nations, portraying their anxieties as unfounded given China’s peaceful rise and historically non-imperialistic approach to international relations — unlike the past of “conquest, genocide, slavery, colonialism, and exploitation” that on this definition characterises the West.

Key Examples

“Since humanity entered the 20th century, the crisis of modernity that Western society has been deeply mired in is essentially a profound crisis of the lifeworld.” — The People’s Daily, September 2025
“The United States uses ‘democratic’ rhetoric to whitewash inequality: American interference in other countries’ internal affairs is ‘supporting democracy,’ while defending Western sovereignty means defending democracy…“ — China Daily, January 2025
“The West suddenly focusing on the ‘Global South’ is truly thought-provoking… Western countries should recognize that the ‘Global South’ is not an arena for international politics and should not become a strategic tool to promote great power competition and geopolitical games.” — Global Times, January 18, 2023