---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the Chinese version of exceptionalism…"
description: "\"“In the Chinese version of exceptionalism, China did not export its ideas but let others come to seek them.”\" — Henry Kissinger"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/henry-kissinger-5357_china_in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism_540033.jpg"
---

#  In the Chinese version of exceptionalism, China did not…

![“In the Chinese version of exceptionalism, China did not export its ideas but let others come to seek them.” quote by Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/henry-kissinger-5357_china_in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism_540033.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/henry-kissinger-5357_china_in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism_540033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/henry-kissinger-5357_china_in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism_540033.jpg)

> ““In the Chinese version of exceptionalism, China did not export its ideas but let others come to seek them.””

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

China seeks to attract foreign ideas rather than export its own, emphasizing a receptive stance toward global innovation.

**In simple terms:** China prefers to draw in ideas from abroad.

Key Takeaway

Encourage openness to external ideas.

Themes

cultural exchange soft power global influence

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

political strategic

When to use this quote

- business strategy
- foreign policy
- academic collaboration

Key Concepts

receptivity innovation diffusion

Questions to Reflect On

- How can China balance importing ideas with nurturing homegrown innovation?
- What are the risks of relying heavily on external concepts?

A Different Perspective

May overlook domestic innovation potential.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/)

## Related quotes

> [It was good to launch the economy in the '50s. Japan did this; China did this; even South Korea did this. All the East…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jairam-ramesh/it-was-good-to-launch-the-economy-in-the-50s-japan-did-this-china-did/)

[Jairam Ramesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jairam-ramesh/)

> [What is applicable is to understand that first of all China has undergone a huge revolution in the last years. Anyone who saw China…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/what-is-applicable-is-to-understand-that-first-of-all-china-has/)

[Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/)

> [China only did the biggest devaluation in 20 years, only for one reason. Because they could get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/china-only-did-the-biggest-devaluation-in-20-years-only-for-one/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [You've got to remember the Cold War was a very real thing then, so the relationship with the United States was very, very important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/you-ve-got-to-remember-the-cold-war-was-a-very-real-thing-then-so-the/)

[Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/)

> [IBM, Microsoft, the profit they made was larger than the top four banks in China put together... But where did the money go?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/ibm-microsoft-the-profit-they-made-was-larger-than-the-top-four-banks/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Like the United States, China thought of itself as playing a special role. But it never espoused the American notion of universalism to spread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/like-the-united-states-china-thought-of-itself-as-playing-a-special/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/)

[Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/)

> [Language is so specific to art, all the way to the past in China. Previously, people were not allowed to include various regional dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-zhangke/language-is-so-specific-to-art-all-the-way-to-the-past-in-china/)

[Jia Zhangke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-zhangke/)

> [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/)

[Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/)

> [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/)

[Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/)

> [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/)

[Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/)

> [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/)

[Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/)

> [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/)

[Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/)

> [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

## More by Henry Kissinger

> [We are moving towards a world that is reordering itself and that may appear more ordered at some periods of time, but I see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/we-are-moving-towards-a-world-that-is-reordering-itself-and-that-may/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [Today Americans would be outraged if U.N. troops entered Los Angeles to restore order; tomorrow they will be grateful! This is especially true if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/today-americans-would-be-outraged-if-u-n-troops-entered-los-angeles/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [“New methods of accessing and communicating information unite regions as never before and project events globally—but in a manner that inhibits reflection, demanding of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/new-methods-of-accessing-and-communicating-information-unite-regions/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [“The Art of War articulates a doctrine less of territorial conquest than of psychological dominance; it was the way the North Vietnamese fought America”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/the-art-of-war-articulates-a-doctrine-less-of-territorial-conquest/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [“Like the United States, China thought of itself as playing a special role. But it never espoused the American notion of universalism to spread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/like-the-united-states-china-thought-of-itself-as-playing-a-special/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [Every first-term president has to learn something after he comes into office. Nobody can be completely ready for the inevitable crises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/every-first-term-president-has-to-learn-something-after-he-comes-into/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [“Politicians are like dogs... Their life expectancy is too short for a commitment to be bearable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/politicians-are-like-dogs-their-life-expectancy-is-too-short-for-a/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [The tragedy of America is that it entered all the wars with a consensus in favor of them, but within a defined period, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/the-tragedy-of-america-is-that-it-entered-all-the-wars-with-a/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [“If history teaches anything it is that there can be no peace without equilibrium and no justice without restraint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/if-history-teaches-anything-it-is-that-there-can-be-no-peace-without/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [“In Washington...the appearance of power is therefore almost as important as the reality of it. In fact, the appearance is frequently its essential reality”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/in-washington-the-appearance-of-power-is-therefore-almost-as/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [The nice thing about being a celebrity is that when you bore people, they think it's their fault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/the-nice-thing-about-being-a-celebrity-is-that-when-you-bore-people/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [“For Sun Tzu, victory is not simply the triumph of armed forces. Instead, it is the achievement of the ultimate political objectives that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/for-sun-tzu-victory-is-not-simply-the-triumph-of-armed-forces-instead/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [“China produced no religious themes in the Western sense at all. The Chinese never generated a myth of cosmic creation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/china-produced-no-religious-themes-in-the-western-sense-at-all-the/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [“The consensus that had sustained our postwar foreign policy had evaporated. The men and women who had sustained our international commitments and achievements were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/the-consensus-that-had-sustained-our-postwar-foreign-policy-had/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

> [No one will win the battle of the sexes, there is too much flirting with the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/no-one-will-win-the-battle-of-the-sexes-there-is-too-much-flirting/)

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

[Explore all 83 Henry Kissinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

## More China quotes

> [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/)

[Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/)

> [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/)

[Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/)

> [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/)

[Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/)

> [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/)

[Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/)

> [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/)

[Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/)

> [Language is so specific to art, all the way to the past in China. Previously, people were not allowed to include various regional dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-zhangke/language-is-so-specific-to-art-all-the-way-to-the-past-in-china/)

[Jia Zhangke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-zhangke/)

> [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/)

[Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/)

> [India may be overtaking China as the world's most polluted country. Even now, which country is worse depends on the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/india-may-be-overtaking-china-as-the-world-s-most-polluted-country/)

[Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/)

> [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [We're always willing to look at ways NAFTA can work better. But it's a fine line between looking at ways to make it work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/we-re-always-willing-to-look-at-ways-nafta-can-work-better-but-it-s-a/)

[Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/)

> [The situation with Tibet has to change. China is one of the last huge dictatorships, holding on to these colonies, provinces. That has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-yauch/the-situation-with-tibet-has-to-change-china-is-one-of-the-last-huge/)

[Adam Yauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-yauch/)

> [Put plainly, China seems determined to steal its way up the economic ladder, at our expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/put-plainly-china-seems-determined-to-steal-its-way-up-the-economic/)

[Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/)

> [The remarkable thing about the Chinese is that they've operated differently than the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans. By and large, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-remarkable-thing-about-the-chinese-is-that-they-ve-operated/)

[David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/)

[Browse all 3,827 China quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“In the Chinese version of exceptionalism, China did not export its ideas but let others come to seek them.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry Kissinger"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism-china-did-not-export-its/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "China"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism-china-did-not-export-its/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/henry-kissinger-5357_china_in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism_540033.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/henry-kissinger-5357_china_in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism_540033.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/henry-kissinger-5357_china_in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism_540033.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In the Chinese version of exceptionalism, China did not export its ideas but let others come to seek them.” — Henry Kissinger",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Henry Kissinger",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“In the Chinese version of exceptionalism,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism-china-did-not-export-its/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/in-the-chinese-version-of-exceptionalism-china-did-not-export-its/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
