Potential for China-US collaboration highlighted despite ongoing challenges
Daniel Russel, a former US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs with deep insights into the intricacies of China-US interactions, shared his thoughts on the Belt and Road Initiative and the current state and future prospects of the critical bilateral relationship.
According to Russel, all kinds of economies, such as China, the United States, Japan and Europe, invest in infrastructure in the developing world. Amid a huge global infrastructure gap, he said China deserves great credit for BRI projects that have been successful and have met local needs. But he also highlighted the initiative for its mixed outcomes and expressed concern over its strategic implications.
In comparing the Belt and Road Initiative with US-proposed infrastructure plans like the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and the Build Back Better World, he argued that they have the advantage of leveraging private capital but he called for more.
“No, neither the Belt and Road nor the PGII are enough. We all need to do more,” said Russel.
Russel contrasted the policies toward China across different US administrations, highlighting a consistent blend of defensive and affirmative agendas regardless of the administration.
He noted a significant shift in the perception of China as a threat, growing from Barack Obama’s first presidential term through to Joe Biden’s presidency. Efforts to find constructive pathways for engagehave persisted despite these changes, he said.
The dialogue serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges and the potential for collaboration between the US and China. As both nations stand at a crossroads, the path they choose will significantly impact not only their futures but also the broader global community.
“The closer that we get to November of 2024, the more that American politics will affect and influence what the administration can say and what the administration can do with respect to China,” Russel said.
“That’s just a reality of the US political system. So it doesn’t mean that nothing is possible, but it does mean that time is of the essence that things that are possible today, even though they’re going to be difficult, become much more difficult as we approach a presidential election.”