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A Dutch colleague of ours, Geert Hofstede, measures national cultures. He found that China thinks very long-termbut Britain and the USA think very short-term. Likewise China is high in self-control while the UK and USA are much higher in self-indulgence, being much more related to consumption than production.

A common distinction made by anthropologists is between a guilt culture common in the West, and a shame culture, typical of China. In a guilt culture, the individual breaks a universal law or rule, and feels guilty as a result. Any regret tends to be private and the pressures are not strong.

China has dealt with COVID-19 incredibly better than the USA. It has suffered 3 deaths per million while the US has suffered 424 deaths per million at the latest count, so the PRC has less than 1% of America’s death toll. Why is this, when the US had so much more warning?

China is the mirror image of much of the West. When we look in the mirror this switches any mark or spot on our faces from one side to the other. The West sees government as conflict leading to unity We say rude things about each other and then ask hearers to vote on who made the best argument.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were launched as a 15-year programme, 2016 – 2030, to try to mobilise individuals, businesses and governments to fix some of the world’s most pressing issues – including climate change, urbanization, poverty, hunger, education.