US fails to grasp China's complexity, says SCMP opinion

An opinion piece argues that the United States has a tragically shallow understanding of China's complexity and civilisational mindset, which has been honed over millennia of dealing with severe crises. It criticises Western protectionism and fears of global fragmentation, referencing Kishore Mahbubani's book 'Has China Won?' to highlight deep misunderstandings. The author notes that China's bureaucracy, one of the world's oldest, cannot be simplistically classified as Stalinist or inflexible. Drawing on personal experience, the author states that Chinese agencies can achieve things at a speed and scale inconceivable for Western public services, yet institutional reforms like a centralised pension system face delays due to central-local power divisions and fiscal traditions.