I will certainly not defend the US (or France, my second country) for having been exemplary in the past. Both have ventured into their specific form of imperialism, at different times. Both have directed or contributed to coups against democratically elected governments (Central & South America, Africa). Both have helped infamous dictators to stay in power.

However... China's imperialism is a real threat. I don't think that the citizens of the western quite imperfect "democracies" have just knowledge of the Chinese grievances against us.

The West immensely abused China during the XIXth century. On all levels: economically first, but also culturally. The resentment of the Chinese people is both very vivid and grounded on very factual facts.

Putin has shown where resentment leads. We thought that he would not invade Ukraine for the benefits were low in comparison to risks, e.g. large sanctions. But he did nevertheless, for Ukraine is - in his view - a central issue in the identity of Russia.

When we sacked the "Old Summer Palace" during the opiums wars, it's as if the Louvre in Paris, the Palace in Versailles and the castle of Chambord had been voluntarily plundered and destroyed. The Opium Wars meant we put millions of Chinese into addiction in order to counterbalance our commercial balance.

Putin's claims on Ukraine have no historical grounds, whatever he and many Russians think. But Chinese resentment towards the West are quite understandable.

Furthermore, Japan devastated China between 1937 and 1945 - with a rare level of atrocity. The Cold War has now made Japan an ally of the US, and of the West more generally.

Most people in the West have no clue about that part of History. It's not taught at school, or in passing. Which makes it even worse for many Chinese: not even knowing what our countries did to them is the worse insult possible. We also don't push Japan to acknowledge their outrageous war crimes.

If we want peace with China in the coming 50 years, we should start acknowledging what we did and ask for forgiveness - e.g. demonstrating our respect. Being able to apologize with very official, large ceremonies is not a sign of weakness.

And since this must not be taken as such, we need to be military ready, to be economically ready (not depending on China industry as we do nowadays) and socially ready.

By socially, I mean to be capable as societies to endure tough times. The invasion of Ukraine has shown that we don't care enough about democracy to stop the flow of petrol and gas from Russia. The EU pays Russia 600 million euros * per day* for it. We are not ready to go through an economic recession in order to save Ukraine.

We are weak.

We provide a big amount of weapons - but that's not a huge one. No planes, no tanks. We even stop ex-army volunteers to join the Ukrainian army! We could perfectly give temporary vacations to volunteers from our armies, as long as they disperse and go there by their own means.

So we need to stand up against Putin much more clearly than we do, just keeping the few legal appearances to avoid OTAN's country to be implied as an official belligerent. We can do much more and we don't. We could decide to limit the temperature in our homes to 16ºC. But our politicians are no Churchills.

China is looking. China wants revenge and I find it quite understandable - even if I despise violence to solve issues. We should prove our strength, our will to keep up collectively with China and its vassals (Russia becoming one of them very soon). And ask the Chinese people for forgiveness for our past behaviors, by providing all the symbolic reparations they rightly deserve.

True adults know when to apologize and when a bully needs to be stopped.

Our Western politicians have not enough courage for any of these necessary acts.

Let's hope that the coming war with China will stay "cold". Or that a common enemy appears to force us to cooperate. Aliens would be fun but, well, improbable... :-) Climate dereliction has the potential to be bad enough to collectively get our priorities right.

For sure, nor our politicians neither the Chinese are doing what is necessary, so huge "natural" disasters are on their way. Like Greta Thunberg repeats: that's what Science predicts, not a point of view of mine.