Let us draw on our traditions in pursuit of peace

As an American Christian, I found Andrew Sheng’s opinion piece on the US’ China policy provocative (“‘Convert or contain’: US policy on China smacks of fundamentalist Christian beliefs”, February 12).

It is true that Western capitalism has Christian roots, as indeed do many modern expressions of socialism, including, ironically, Marx’s atheistic expression of communism embraced by China in the early 20th century.

It is also true, as Sheng implies, that Chinese political thought and socialism with Chinese characteristics have Taoist as well as Marxist roots. But I was surprised to hear the Chinese expression, “to get rich is glorious”, associated with the Puritan quest for God’s glory through hard work. Jesus’ call to love God and “your neighbour as yourself” has long been a powerful restraint on the greed and corruption endemic in both free market capitalism and autocratic socialism.

After 70 years of “socialism with Chinese characteristics”, we Americans cannot expect China to convert or conform to any of the various Western versions of “capitalism with socialist characteristics”. Nor can China expect the West to fully understand the Chinese dream with its creative and complex mix of Taoism, Marxism and capitalism. Can we not learn how to compete peacefully with often conflicting geopolitical, environmental and military priorities, and with starkly differing views of human rights?

What many Christians pray for is a way to reimagine international relations that reflects the example of Jesus in building peace and justice by giving priority to the poor, oppressed and marginalised among us. And to be willing, as Pastor Andrew Gardener of the Vine Church in Wan Chai reminded us recently, to suffer for the vision of Jesus who calls us to love our enemies and “to bring justice and deliverance for the hurting, vulnerable and the innocent who have been falsely called guilty”.

Indeed, we are called to find joy in this sacrificial love we share with Chinese Christians everywhere for whom Jesus is the way (or dao in the Chinese Bible), the truth and the life.

Nate Showalter, Jordan