Giuliano Noci, Eng., Vice-Rector of the Chinese Territorial Pole of the Politecnico di Milano and a leading expert on Chinese affairs, was a guest of the club, where he delivered an insightful presentation on the Asian giant, moving beyond the usual clichés often associated with the subject.
The initial invitation was, in fact, to avoid looking at China through the distorted and short-sighted eyes of Westerners. Over the last two centuries, the economic dominance of the West has represented an anomaly, given that until the 19th century, economic dominance belonged to China and India; now, China is returning to the position that history has always assigned to it. Furthermore, we Westerners are convinced that our way of life is the best for all of humanity, but this is merely a conviction inherent to Christian culture, not shared by the other two great cultures: the Muslim and the Sinitic.
That said, Noci pointed out that a unipolar world is an unstable one, and it is desirable for the presidents of the two superpowers, the U.S.A. and China, to sit down at the table—something they recognize as necessary but struggle to achieve due to their public image within their respective countries.
In this context, Europe is in danger due to the lack of a unified identity, and its future depends on international factors. At this moment, China is slowing down its growth, which until a few years ago was dizzying; this should concern us because a weak China is a dangerous China, as is currently happening with Russia, and the risk is that of a Third World War.
It is wise to view interests with balance, and it is not a given that our interests are the same as those of the United States. Institutions such as the U.N., which were created at a time when the West represented 80% of the world, can no longer carry the same weight; it is necessary to begin listening to all the excluded countries that are strengthening and will no longer give importance to what is decreed by institutions that do not involve them.
This vision, presented by Eng. Noci, was supported by a significant and direct knowledge of the subject, though it was not shared by some of those present at the evening event.
