Rise in China’s strength and international standing drives US antagonism

The US has adopted a number of hostile policies against China on trade, the South China Sea, Taiwan and cultural exchange since the beginning of this year, and Sino-US relations are in a state of flux. Washington’s decision to levy tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese imports has escalated the trade spat with Beijing.

US elites have become increasingly concerned about their country’s status in the international arena following the shrinking economic gap with China. Since 2014, US elites have had intensive debates on Washington’s strategy of engaging China and concluded that the US has failed to change Beijing’s political and economic systems or push it to follow Washington’s diktats in the form of written rules.

US politicians have thus reached consensus on a tough China policy. It has become political correctness in the US to be hawkish toward China and view Sino-US ties from an ideological perspective. US politicians cannot accept Washington’s decline and China’s rise. As a result, they have resorted to a tougher China policy.

Second, US political forces advocate an aggressive China policy to win votes. In the oneand-a-half year term in office, US President Donald Trump administration’s policies have intensified splits between the US and the international community. By attributing its undesirable political performances to China, the Trump team expects to win more popularity among American citizens. Mired in Russiagate and other scandals, the Trump administration is eager to use its aggressive China policy to divert the public’s attention from domestic problems.

Third, the US believes that China’s economic reforms have threatened its competitiveness in the technological sector. China has seen rapid development in the fields of semiconductors, artificial intelligence, computer science and other key areas in recent years with rising competitiveness. American elites are unwilling to swallow this.

Fourth, Washington doesn’t want to see the success of China’s market economy, supported by Chinese state-owned enterprise. It attempts to change China’s industrial policy and economic system, turning the country’s market into an appendage of the US, which can only provide low-end products. The US is trying to offset the challenges China’s technological and manufacturing prowess may pose to the country.

Economic globalization and security indivisibility goes with the tide of the times. The international trading system, which operates on the principle of free flow of goods and services and openness of global markets, has generally guaranteed the smooth operation of the global economy since the end of the Cold War. The international system centered around the UN largely guarantees global security.

Washington’s trade war is, in essence, protectionism and economic nationalism, attempting to use tariff barriers to form closed markets. This is typical anti-globalization. Washington is breaking the current world order and shaping a new one that will easily lead to disputes and highly divided markets and is beneficial only to the US. Washington’s selfish practices are jeopardizing UN authority in maintaining global security and are in sharp contrast to China’s adherence to the current international order.

Besides, Washington views Sino-US interactions in the Asia-Pacific region with a Cold War mindset. Regional integrity in the Western Pacific is being steadily promoted. China has been playing an active role and welcomes all countries to participate in the process so as to ensure regional stability and prosperity. China-US cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region conforms to the interests of regional countries. But Washington is worried about Beijing’s rising influence in the region and attempts to use South China Sea disputes to drive a wedge between China and other countries. This has brought about uncertainties in the Western Pacific.

Moreover, Washington is used to handling Sino-US relations with a geopolitical, but not cooperative approach.

Faced with US policy shift toward China and its distorted mindset, China should remain clear-minded while interacting with it.

Beijing should have faith in its strength and safeguard its right to development. The comprehensive rise in China’s strength and international standing has been welcomed by most countries while US unilateralism and protectionism has been resisted. Beijing should continue negotiations with Washington to explore as many ways as possible in resolving bilateral conflicts.

China should unite all the countries which support free trade and multilateral order to protect and improve the WTOcentered multilateral trade system, guaranteeing abundant space for most countries’ development.

It must be realized that China and the US still share more common interests than differences. Their trade ties remain deeply intertwined and act as buffers in bilateral relations. There are still possibilities that the two countries will overcome all kinds of obstacles through negotiations and talks. The author is a professor with the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn