Hi Alex, Thanks for the comment. It's interesting, I think we would completely agree on the importance of focusing on massive problems facing humanity these days, which include as you say climate change and resources, as well as economic inequality and social justice etc. I would also agree with your just made comment above that EU values (at least insofar as how they handle their domestic systems) are superior to the US's these days--in general I am in favor of far more left-wing American domestic policies to redistribute income downward to reduce inequality, focus on the vulnerable and left behind, tackle climate change, health care, racial injustice, and stop invading countries to create democracy.

As to your question about my underlying motivations, I would (paradoxically, perhaps, given our apparent disagreement) say that I take a very hard line precisely in favor of the values that you are espousing and we agree on--especially, universal human rights abuses. Most significantly, for me, the right as a human to think about the situation around me, gather information, and work together with others to make the world a better place, and to better my station and those I know and help in an ethical way, is paramount. I take such a hard line on China, specifically, because that right, the right to think about your situation and the world around you, and take action to improve it, is precisely the most important right denied to people from the PRC in the most fundamental way (politically). I favor taking a hard line about these kinds of abuses in China and not in countries such as, say, Iraq or Syria or Libya, not because I don't wish those people had that right, but because China is the only country that poses a threat to that right globally.

I would love to leave it at "respect other systems," but the reality is that our system isn't being respected by China--openly declaring the US and its "universal values" as an existential enemy of the CCP, rampant theft against our citizens and companies (of IP), threats against free speech and parliamentary debate in Australia (the definition of not respecting another country's system), creation of concentration camps and use of forced labor, mass construction of coal power plants, destroying the freedoms of people in HK apparently in a relatively needless way, using propaganda to undermine Western public confidence in vaccines during a propaganda, and on and on--are precisely violations of the kind of "universal human rights" (broadly, but commonsensically defined) that you and I both support.

In other contexts, I am highly critical of my own country (especially Trumpism, racial injustice, endless war, and economic inequality/lack of social safety net), but this is a China focused forum so I focus on China. When it comes to which "bloc" or system to support, I tend to support the US/liberal democratic system because I feel that there still is a (bare) majority in the US that supports ending these things, which wants to work together to solve problems and improve everyone's lives, whereas in China we simply have to hope that the leadership does the right thing. But in a situation where that government is clearly trying to wrest global leadership from the USA, if that happens, and then their government begins doing things that violate the kinds of values you and I hold dear, we will have absolutely no recourse, whereas in the current situation we do have recourse (for instance, voting out Trump).

If Trumpism triumphs in the USA, the USA will be no better, and those of who wish to take action to make the world a better place (which always, always starts politically, since that sets allowable behaviors) will have to look elsewhere in order to lead fulfilling, helpful lives.

Hope that helps make my considerations clearer. Always up for more discussion. Cheers mate.