As US struggles with chaos, China responds with stability
Racial hatred has stirred violent clashes in the US, and the world’s superpower is increasingly mired in chaos. The world is closely monitoring the changes in the US, and concerns have begun to deepen. The source of global instability may not be North Korea’s nuclear ambitions nor Europe’s refugee crisis, but the chaos in the US.
The city of Charlottesville was engulfed by violence Saturday as white supremacists and counter- protesters clashed in one of the bloodiest confl icts to date. At least three were killed and dozens were injured where a “Unite the Right” rally of right- wing groups had been scheduled to take place over the removal of Confederate monuments across the South, according to the police. Virginia’s governor declared a state of emergency to prevent further clashes.
The violence undoubtedly refl ects the divisions in US society. Racial relations have improved in recent years, symbolized by Barack Obama’s elec- tion as president, with Obama attaching great importance to the rights of minorities during his term in offi ce. However, the middle- and lower- class white people thought their interests and basic values have been jeopardized. Soon after the Black Lives Matter movement was launched, “All Lives Matter” was put forward by another group. Promising to “Make America Great Again,” Trump’s slogan resonated with white supremacists, who helped him win the 2016 presidential election.
Developments in the US could have a negative eff ect on the global economic, fi nancial and security order. The public is also concerned that Trump is using international disputes to divert public attention away from the domestic turmoil. The president escalated his rhetoric with North Korea recently, warning that “military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded.” He claimed that a military option is possible to deal with the Venezuelan government’s crackdown on the opposition; he threatened to launch a trade war against China.
China should be prepared to deal with the US struggling with political chaos, and take countermeasures against Trump’s possible radical Beijing policies. More importantly, Beijing should be confi dent of and stick to its own path for development and stability.
The power struggle in the 21st century is not entirely about technology, the military or economy. Social stability carries more weight. Chinese society has been a united organism, and the maintenance of stability will not only help realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also help the country calmly cope with chaos and make tremendous contributions to global stability and development.