The Dragon is Awake - and Now ?

In a first part, the paper keeps track of the_x000D_x000D_historical background of China and concludes,_x000D_x000D_that despite the massive changes in the_x000D_x000D_country nowadays, China is just coming back_x000D_x000D_to its normality as an advanced cultural and_x000D_x000D_economical superpower. But this path is not an_x000D_x000D_easy one to go. In fact China faces many_x000D_x000D_internal difficulties by achieving the glorious_x000D_x000D_status of the once so called "middle kingdom"_x000D_x000D_(zhong guo), which will be presented in a_x000D_x000D_second step._x000D_x000D_However, the ongoing transformations_x000D_x000D_challenge the western world massively, first of_x000D_x000D_all Europe. The old continent has not only to_x000D_x000D_accept the end of western domination, but is_x000D_x000D_also mandatorily and urgently forced to find_x000D_x000D_answers to a country with a completely_x000D_x000D_different thinking and value system. In a third_x000D_x000D_part, the western main misunderstandings of_x000D_x000D_China are analyzed and possible responses_x000D_x000D_introduced._x000D_x000D_This paper was presented at the_x000D_x000D_30th conference of the_x000D_x000D_Association of Third World_x000D_x000D_Studies at Berry College, USA.