Contemporary Chinese colonial paternalism and the hypocrisy of US far-left denialism
Abstract
While the Chinese Communist Party has long implemented a colonial-paternalist mode of governance over Tibetans and Uyghurs, there is a curious phenomenon of a notable segment of the far left in the United States (US) defending it under the guise of anti-imperialism. This phenomenon needs unpacking. The article identifies how contemporary China is a colonizing state using paternalist vocabulary and highlights a few prominent US far leftists who deny or advocate Chinese colonialism. This hypocrisy is not a result of speaking truth to power but siding with a colonizing, paternalist, and authoritarian state against those suffering under it; it is pro-colonial while claiming to be anti-colonial.
Fields of Study & Subjects
China's Ethnic Minorities and Relations
Chinese history and philosophy
China's Global Influence and Migration
Publication details
- Journal / source
- International Feminist Journal of Politics
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 783–808
- Publication date
- 8 August 2026
- Language
- EN