I find it hilariously unmasking that in every single China discussion there is at least one person with the usual "evil west did it too once" whataboutism.
PS. it's not "once" like in "one time" but "once" like in "once upon a time". But somehow I'm sure you knew that already.
Iraq, Pakistan, overthrowing regimes vis CIA while partnering with Drug cartels, forcing out Iran’s regime, forcing other countries to cut off Iran after forcing out Iran’s regime, using Israel to project military power in the Middle East, cutting off aid if countries legalize certain drugs.
These are all soft power projections that have similar effects to the “modern colonizing” of China. There’s no hard evidence that the lending and infrastructure projects are bad. But somehow it seems that unless China donates a free pair of shoes for every pair of shoe sold to destroy the local shoe economy, it must be bad? Donations are bad, but true business deals are what’s required, and they may not appear purely altruistic because they aren’t.
Where is the value in your comment?
To urge people not to engage into this pointless debate, you won't change their opinion by calling it whataboutism and will only enforce it since neither you nor him provided any valuable points in the discussion.
One doesn't need to put effort into responding to trolls or calling them out.