…a space where I share my lifelong exploration of China and the Indo-Pacific, as well as my vision for a future where East and West work in harmony rather than opposition. This newsletter will focus on two main topics, one concerns China and my effort to review recent history to come to a place where China and the West can hit the reset button. The second topic involves the goal of making American opportunity accessible in the Micronesia region. I’ll share a little about my background then explain why I am so motivated about these two topics.
My passion for Asia began in high school when Mr. Diziac set aside our European history textbook to lecture on Japan and China. Japan’s Meiji Restoration and China’s Opium Wars captured my imagination, inspiring my career focus. At George Washington University, I majored in East Asian Studies, studied Chinese, and deepened my understanding during a semester in Taiwan. Professionally, I managed Asia-Pacific markets for a U.S. consumer products company, forging meaningful partnerships across the region. In Guam, I met my future wife, a Chamorita, and together we built a family. Under my leadership, our Asia division achieved record-breaking success. In 1990, I joined the U.S. diplomatic corps in a development finance agency. My role centered on the Indo-Pacific, but fallout from Tiananmen prevented our agency from operating in China. Instead, we concentrated on Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.
China: The tragedy of the Macartney Mission to China in 1792 serves as a pivotal historical lesson for me. While Qing Court mandarins acknowledged the British traders’ goods had value, Emperor Qianlong dismissed them because the British refused to kowtow. This decision not only strained Sino-British relations but also set the stage for the devastating Opium Wars.
What happened next is a mark against the West for certain. One Chinese port after another was forced opened and addictive opium was smuggled in to a degree that devastated the country. Through this tragic exchange, Emperor Qianlong seemed to lose his Mandate from Heaven, and frankly, China hasn’t had a leader worthy of the People of China since. In fact, an AI query reveals Mao Zedong to be one of the five worst leaders in the history of China and when enough accurate data on Xi Jinping is in the system AI will probably rank him in the bottom five as well.
On China, the focus of WideFountain is to share information in a straightforward and honest way. My research indicates that Xi Jinping has benefited from an effort to recreate China’s opium experience with fentanyl in North America. This crisis, along with others that are part of two decades of political warfare from China, need to be addressed. Just as I wouldn’t expect the British East India Companies to have a seat at the table to discuss the Opium Wars, Xi Jinping does not deserve to be at the table across from the Western nations to discuss the damage from the Ye-Xi Clique. Furthermore, the CCP has been guilty of domestic and international schemes that make the East India Companies look like boy scouts.
As my research is rolled out here on Substack, I will provide background on my other objective - to create a bridge between opportunities in North America and the aspirations of the wonderful inhabitants of the seven Micronesian island groups. Micronesia is a magical place and more people in the West should know about these remarkable islands and gifted people of the region.
This newsletter will serve as a platform for thoughtful analysis, connecting historical context to present-day challenges. Please join me in this journey, guided by the conviction that truth is the foundation of trust, and trust is the cornerstone of progress.
Christopher Meyer
Founder, WideFountain