Reflections on Henry Kissinger

Dr. Kissinger had a conceptual and visceral attachment to stability, an attachment he shared with most Chinese leaders and citizens. Both China and Kissinger had been through periods of unimaginable societal breakdown and had learned that excessive tumult is not the soil in which human rights, democracy, and material betterment grow. Material power, strong leaders, and balance of power are essential instruments in the toolbox of domestic and global governance. For Dr. Kissinger, stability was necessary for progress, but, I do not believe that he thought that was alone sufficient. How to achieve stability, welfare, and justice is the task Dr. Kissinger has left for those who follow.

Read the full reflection on US-China Perception Monitor.