--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm sure in a few years it will be…" description: "\"I'm sure in a few years it will be unthinkable to say there were 20 years when we didn't recognize the People's Republic of China. And then we'll have ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/pierre-trudeau-3495_china_i-m-sure-in-a-few-years-it-will-be-unthi_2526186.jpg" --- # I'm sure in a few years it will be unthinkable to say… ![“I'm sure in a few years it will be unthinkable to say there were 20 years when we didn't recognize the People's Republic of China. And then we'll have to explain what the political constraints were and why it didn't happen earlier.” quote by Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/pierre-trudeau-3495_china_i-m-sure-in-a-few-years-it-will-be-unthi_2526186.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/pierre-trudeau-3495_china_i-m-sure-in-a-few-years-it-will-be-unthi_2526186.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/pierre-trudeau-3495_china_i-m-sure-in-a-few-years-it-will-be-unthi_2526186.jpg) > “I'm sure in a few years it will be unthinkable to say there were 20 years when we didn't recognize the People's Republic of China. And then we'll have to explain what the political constraints were and why it didn't happen earlier.” [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognition of China will become inevitable; future explanations will focus on political constraints that delayed earlier acknowledgment. **In simple terms:** China's rise will be seen as inevitable; politics delayed it. Key Takeaway Understand geopolitical shifts and their timing. Themes geopolitics history political constraints recognition Mood analytical neutral Type educational informative When to use this quote - diplomatic strategy - academic research - media reporting - public education Key Concepts International relations historical analysis policy studies Questions to Reflect On - What factors influence when nations recognize emerging powers? - How can we better anticipate geopolitical shifts? A Different Perspective Predicting political change is uncertain and can be contested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [20 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/20-years/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [China Ll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china-ll-1299384/) [Constraints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constraints/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Constraints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-constraints-1299382/) [Republic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republic/) [Republic China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republic-china-1299385/) [Unthinkable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unthinkable/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Unthinkable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-unthinkable-1299383/) ## Related quotes > [Sixteen years on the road is long enough. Twenty years is unthinkable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-robertson/sixteen-years-on-the-road-is-long-enough-twenty-years-is-unthinkable/) [Robbie Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-robertson/) > [That sort of lack of awareness on the part of an activist about the constraints of our political system and the constraints on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-sort-of-lack-of-awareness-on-the-part-of-an-activist-about-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I'm convinced after spending three weeks in China and Tibet, unless the United States gets its act together, our grandchildren will be living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-kondracke/i-m-convinced-after-spending-three-weeks-in-china-and-tibet-unless/) [Mort Kondracke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-kondracke/) > [The rapid rise of the People's Republic of China as a military and economic power is challenging the status quo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/the-rapid-rise-of-the-people-s-republic-of-china-as-a-military-and/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [The people run the country. So if people didn't want you shooting in their neighborhood, there's no authority that can tell them they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lassiter/the-people-run-the-country-so-if-people-didn-t-want-you-shooting-in/) [James Lassiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lassiter/) > [The People's Republic of China has not yet reached the military might of the Soviet Empire. It requires a little more time and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-amiel/the-people-s-republic-of-china-has-not-yet-reached-the-military-might/) [Barbara Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-amiel/) > [Taiwan is the Republic of China, the Republic of China is Taiwan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsai-ing-wen/taiwan-is-the-republic-of-china-the-republic-of-china-is-taiwan/) [Tsai Ing-wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsai-ing-wen/) > [The Western public should learn and remember one essential thing about China: no matter what European and North American propaganda barks about the People's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/the-western-public-should-learn-and-remember-one-essential-thing/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [The People's Republic of China has 2 million strong in its military, and it's trying to make them stronger through gene editing, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratcliffe/the-people-s-republic-of-china-has-2-million-strong-in-its-military/) [John Ratcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratcliffe/) > [Hong Kong has a reputation for freedom in spite of the People's Republic of China. It has a strong tradition of free speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/hong-kong-has-a-reputation-for-freedom-in-spite-of-the-people-s/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [From 1911 to 1928, the country was officially called Republic of China, but in reality, it was actually split between different warlords. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/from-1911-to-1928-the-country-was-officially-called-republic-of-china/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [“talks since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 when the Republic of China government”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/talks-since-the-end-of-the-chinese-civil-war-in-1949-when-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The political system of the People's Republic of China can make things easy. Decisions are made quickly and results come quickly, too. In our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ratan-tata/the-political-system-of-the-people-s-republic-of-china-can-make/) [Ratan Tata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ratan-tata/) > [The Republic-of-China - back in the Olympic Games for the first time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coleman/the-republic-of-china-back-in-the-olympic-games-for-the-first-time/) [David Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coleman/) > [The People's Republic of China poses the greatest threat to America today, and the greatest threat to democracy and freedom world-wide since World War…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratcliffe/the-people-s-republic-of-china-poses-the-greatest-threat-to-america/) [John Ratcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratcliffe/) ## More by Pierre Trudeau > [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Obviously, the state's responsibility should be to legislate rules for a well-ordered society. It has no right or duty to creep into the bedrooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/obviously-the-state-s-responsibility-should-be-to-legislate-rules-for/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [In specific terms I don't think I could make any suggestions, but in general terms I believe that it is because Canadians have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/in-specific-terms-i-don-t-think-i-could-make-any-suggestions-but-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I think that religions must seek peace and love and therefore be pacifist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-that-religions-must-seek-peace-and-love-and-therefore-be/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Freedom can flow from order. That is not to say that freedom always flows from order because you can have a totalitarian order and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/freedom-can-flow-from-order-that-is-not-to-say-that-freedom-always/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Every time I have a political rally I meet some people who say, "I need a job."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/every-time-i-have-a-political-rally-i-meet-some-people-who-say-i-need/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I'm far from believing that we've solved the problem of violence in the 20th century and that's why I'm not discouraged that we still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-m-far-from-believing-that-we-ve-solved-the-problem-of-violence-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [The Jesuits were good educators, exceptional teachers. In an era and in a society where freedom of speech was not held in high regard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-jesuits-were-good-educators-exceptional-teachers-in-an-era-and-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Americans should never underestimate the constant pressure on Canada which the mere presence of the United States has produced. We're different people from you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/americans-should-never-underestimate-the-constant-pressure-on-canada/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I must say that "Give Peace a Chance" has always seemed to me to be sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-must-say-that-give-peace-a-chance-has-always-seemed-to-me-to-be/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation. What's done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/there-s-no-place-for-the-state-in-the-bedrooms-of-the-nation-what-s/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I think all of us, politicians and churchmen, should do our utmost to change the society so that there would be no need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-all-of-us-politicians-and-churchmen-should-do-our-utmost-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [The Canadian community must invest, for the defence and better appreciation of the French language, as much time, energy, and money as are required…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-canadian-community-must-invest-for-the-defence-and-better/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Perhaps the rediscovery of our humanity, and the potential of the human spirit which we have read about in legends of older civilizations, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/perhaps-the-rediscovery-of-our-humanity-and-the-potential-of-the/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) [Explore all 129 Pierre Trudeau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) ## 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. 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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": "I'm sure in a few years it will be unthinkable to say there were 20 years when we didn't recognize the People's Republic of China. 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