Non-Western critical thinking
From a philosophical perspective, this need seems like a no-brainer. The need to understand is obvious, as by 2030 China should have the largest economy in the world.
It seems that Donald Trump is not aware of the differences between the PRC (People's Republic of China) and the Republic of China (a fully democratic state that looks after several dependencies like Taiwan etc.)
What politicians need to understand is the basic philosophical history of China and how China truly thinks and understands.
More than fortune cookies
Very few colleges in the US teach this philosophy of Daosim or Confucianism, and it's about time they started doing so. There are several reasons for this.
Firstly Chinese philosophy has a lot to offer the West. There is more to Chinese philosophy than cracking open a fortune cookie. In reality the philosophy has a rich almost Socratic careful analysis of all the facts. Confucian ethics provokes a deep understanding of family and provides guidance for future behaviour. Parents have a large responsibility alongside governments that nurture these environments.
Secondly is cultural diversity. We need to get philosophy departments away from European Western thinking and get them on the Eastern track. One cannot live on a diet of pre-Socratic thinkers like Parmenides for example.
With the Chinese building the modern version of The Silk Road, this economic powerhouse is expanding across Eurasia. The US need not worry that it may fail to understand others, but rather worry that others may fail to understand it.
