Calling for “reciprocity” is not making China or the West happier

RARELY IN THE history of China’s contacts with the West have so many powerful people, in so many capitals, agreed that relations must be guided by the principle of fairness. When President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart, Donald Trump, give speeches that touch on Sino-American ties, the calls for mutual respect, shared benefits and avoiding double standards come thick and fast. The Europeans sound just as keen on fair play. In recent years the leaders of France, Germany and European Union institutions have led smaller powers in a sustained chorus, telling China that Europe is open for business, as long as it is on a basis of reciprocity. To quote France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, speaking in 2018 in the old caravan stop of Xi’an, the “new silk roads” proposed by China cannot run in only one direction.