Difference (A Perspective of Eastern and Western Thinking from a Chinese Ambassador)

Author: Lu Qiutian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-04-01
Features: My long diplomatic career in Europe has given me the opportunity to meet many prominent figures in European politics, business, and culture, as well as countless ordinary Europeans. I deeply realize that making friends is easy, but understanding someone is difficult. If we want to understand a person, it is certainly important to know their political affiliation, personal background, and personality traits, but one cannot overlook the fact of understanding their way of thinking within the context of the entire nation. In fact, making friends and understanding someone also involves a matter of life experience. Experience is crucial for diplomacy, but it cannot be inherited or spontaneously generated—it comes from practice and learning. Unfortunately, when you are young, you lack experience, and when you have gained some experience, you are no longer young.