Deteriorating relations between Washington and Beijing imperil contact between citizens, but also make it more important<\/p>\n
Richer and more complex stories lie behind dominant narratives, as the British Museum\u2019s fascinating new exhibition, China\u2019s Hidden Century<\/a>, reminds us. It challenges the conventional wisdom that the country\u2019s \u201clong 19th century\u201d was solely a time of decay and decline. It documents domestic turmoil<\/a> and aggression and plunder by foreign powers \u2013 notably Britain \u2013 but also resilience and innovation. By looking beyond the Qing court, it includes individuals, ideas and possibilities that complicate our understanding of China\u2019s identity and trajectory. Alongside splendid imperial robes, visitors see a cook\u2019s uniform. They hear not only Empress Dowager Cixi\u2019s words, but those of the feminist and revolutionary martyr Qiu Jin<\/a>.<\/p>\n At a time when hostility towards the west and especially the US is growing in China, and vice versa, looking beyond headlines and politicians to other parts of the story is crucial. When intergovernmental relations hit the rocks, the contacts between societies and individuals \u2013 whether through tourism, academic discussion or shared cultural interests \u2013 are even more important. They can offer a less pressured and public space for exploring options. They can help to build understanding and prevent escalation. Conversely, domestic nationalism can make it harder for governments to pull back in a crisis even if they wish to. As the American and Chinese scholars Scott Kennedy and Wang Jisi warn in a recent report on academic exchange, Breaking the Ice<\/a>: \u201cLess connectivity is not only a product of worsening ties, it also has contributed to the decline of relations … A rise in estrangement reinforced fears about the other side\u2019s motives.\u201d<\/p>\n