China has many shortcomings in the global arena, and has we all know, any shortcoming may prevent a structure from performing its full function. To illustrate China’s shortcomings in its diplomatic relations with other nations, let’s first take a look at how Russia is doing. President Vladimir Putin has been able to develop his friendship with Donald Trump, and even praised how “smart” he is. However, China has not been able to do the same. Furthermore, president-elect Trump unexpectedly answered the phone call from Tsai Ing-wen and congratulated Tsai on becoming the “president of Taiwan”, thus breaking the 40-year-long rule between Beijing and Washington. China responded embarrassingly, and the unsettled issue of Taiwan is still very much a hindrance to China’s rise in the global arena. In fact, China’s weaknesses are everywhere.

Take for example, Myanmar. We sold weapons to them while they dropped bombs on China; North Korea, as our neighbor, has also been testing and detonating atomic bombs regardless of China’s feelings; India seeks to become the dominant player in Asia and they are experts in identifying China’s weaknesses; Taiwan is walking along the line between unity and independence; Japan does not only have territorial disputes with China, but also want to be Asia’s No.1; Vietnam – existing territorial issue; Singapore is a western-backed dwarf with evil intentions; Venezuela has received large sums of money from China, but will sooner or later turn hostile, the list goes on, and Australia, Russia, and even Hong Kong are included.

As I commented last year, there are people who want to borrow fire from China to light up their American cigars everywhere.

While the number of such shortcomings has increased, difficulties have also multiplied. A solution for one may lead to tensions regarding another. Furthermore, adversaries have even become more proficient in making such diplomatic deals. When they commit to support China’s “vital national interests” on certain issues, they are actually pursuing for extra benefits for themselves. Such as the Philippines, who easily turned hostile towards the US once China started providing them with economic benefits.

This plight, however, is actually not something new. China has been following the model of “stimulus–response”, rather than the “prediction-strategy” in its foreign policy. Therefore, instead of developing a mature approach, we only scramble to figure out solutions when troubles come knocking. A lack of a grand strategy for diplomacy, somehow, has caused created unclear positions. We may not clarify a boundary of our position in advance, because there is no well-prepared plan to respond when our adversaries cross the line. This is not an issue concerning power, but rather practice – an issue reform.

Obviously, we could get into debt when the significant problems occur. But we have been restricted within our own prison with limited room for further development while we are trying our best to figure out the answers for each shortcoming. As for reform, most of the efforts are focused on increasing efficiency. However, without settling all the external issues listed above, further improvement in efficiency will be restricted.