What is more, they conclude, ordinary Chinese share such views.In the face of such Chinese self-confidence, the temptation is for Europeans to embrace decline, ditch their principles and engage without conditions.
Chuka Umunna, a leading Labour moderniser, has urged his wing of the party to work with a Jeremy Corbyn leadership and not to make the mistake of giving the impression that electability requires the party to ditch its principles.
His last word on the possibility of conversion was at once characteristically dismissive and characteristically protective of his hard-earned reputation as an Enemy of God: "Suppose I ditch the principles I have held for a lifetime, in the hope of gaining favor at the last minute?
People have been told too often that they have to choose effectively between their heads and their hearts, and that there is a choice to be made, that if you want Labour to be re-elected we somehow have to ditch our principles, perhaps on public services, the welfare bill, whatever it might be.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley says that listening exercises on NHS reforms don't "suggest that people are wanting to ditch the principles of the bill".
The SNP said that Labour had lost its soul and ditched its principles, almost as if independence was somehow going to restore common ownership of "the means of production, distribution and exchange", as stated in the 1918 Labour party constitution.
Tory HQ is portraying Rochester's former Tory MP Mark Reckless as a lying opportunist who has eaten his words and ditched his principles to ensure he can, in David Cameron's words, keep "his fat arse on the green benches" of the Commons.
But Mr Berlusconi's own rhetoric is shot through with praise for family enterprise (as befits the founder of a family-run business empire).As for the Northern League, it fast ditches its liberal principles if its voters' interests seem threatened.
We must not be fooled into thinking the choice is either to be true to our principles or ditch them all to win elections.
