If someone asks you, China is not pursuing expansionist policies, you always say, this country has never had such a policy to pursue.
Schmidt: No, I do not think so. But this is China's large population are related. In Europe, only one million, twelve million or fifteen million people, China has a population of hundreds of millions. A populous country. Meanwhile, the state emerged in Europe in the past one thousand years, that is from the UK after 1066 or later King Ludwig I said, our national language in Europe is also divided.
Each country has its own language. Sometimes use different words. In the 20th century, Croats and Serbs are in the same state of Yugoslavia. When the exchange between them with each other can understand, but they can not understand each other's newspapers. Because the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet is the language used, and Croatia with the Latin alphabet.
Instead, hundreds of millions of population are the same word used, even if some people do not read or write. And the Chinese people is a huge local governors and the emperor has the right to compete between the countries. Engage in expansion, not a crusade for empire, such behavior may be due to a large population reasons.
In that glorious centuries, Chinese not only very clear the vast territory of China, but also in culture and civilization of the leading position. So, if they go to oppress other nations, that will be discounted to their pride. I said this time is that until 1500. At that time China is the center of the empire. Ancient Chinese people is so declared.
Other people are barbarians in their eyes, if foreign capital occasionally to their tribute to kowtow and then go home, is enough. Chinese people to let foreigners know that China is big country, but other countries only marginal phenomenon. This is not just cultural self-confidence, could lead to a very large extent, Chinese people do not pursue the policy of the imperialist-style.
They are different with the Romans, with the Athens Federation and other cultures are also different. Even the Egyptians have tried to extend their rule to Iraq or Persia. Chinese people do not advocate the expansion, there was only twice exception.
