Photo of Steven's press conference. The image of this article is the surging news reporter Quan Yitu
The open letter expressed concern about the deteriorating reality of Sino-US relations since Trump took office, questioned the current China policy of the US government, and put forward a seven-point opinion on the US China policy.
On the morning of July 9, during the Eighth World Peace Forum, Michael Swaine, one of the initiators of the letter and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, held a press conference on the letter and current U.S.-China relations.
In an interview with www.thepaper.cn, Mr. Steven said the letter was not only directed at the Trump administration, but at a more widespread view that exists in both parties and other policy areas in the United States.
"There are all kinds of voices in China, and the United States needs to recognize this and work from there to make those positive views more influential and negative views less influential." Vice versa, there are many views on China in the United States, and there is no consensus view that can be negotiated. Steven told the surging news.
As a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Shi Wen is the most influential U.S. expert in the field of Chinese security studies and has great influence in China's defense and foreign policy, Sino-U.S. relations, and international relations in East Asia.
U.S. Policy toward China is not just two options
In the open letter, Mr. Steven and other co-signatories said they do not see China as an economic enemy of the United States or a national security threat in every area. The U.S. approach of viewing China as an enemy and decoupling it from the global economy undermines the U.S. international role and reputation and undermines the economic interests of all countries.
They also noted that U.S. opposition will not prevent China's economic growth, the increase in chinese companies' global market share, and China's greater role in global affairs. U.S. efforts to slow China's rise would also hurt the United States itself.
"We believe that this open letter, which has been signed by so many people, clearly shows that the consensus of some people in Washington that all walks of life in Washington and D.C. share a vendetta against China does not actually exist." The open letter ends.
"The original purpose of this open letter was to bring together a large number of dignitaries, knowledgeable and experienced people from all walks of life, not just experts on China, to take a respectable criticism of the Trump administration's hostile attitude toward China." At the press conference on July 9, Steven introduced.
"Some people criticize this letter as a return to the previous China policy of the United States, as if the United States China policy only has two choices, the previous ones and the policies of the Trump administration, which is wrong." "We have other options, not necessarily between the two," Steven said. ”
Steven pointed out that between the past China policy and the Trump administration's China policy, there is actually a fairly rational middle area, and this letter just illustrates the existence of such a rational middle area.
"We should get rid of the idea that there are two different systems in the world competing, or two great powers competing, and it's a zero-sum game in which one side wins and the other loses." If we get into this situation, then it is a bad thing for everyone. Shi Wen said in an interview with The Paper.
"And my biggest concern is that the Trump administration is not fully aware of the fact that the United States must work with China." The Chinese side is also not fully aware of the major changes in U.S. Policy toward China. Steven further said.
There are also those who want to add a signature, and those who have concerns and do not sign it
Talking about the release process of this joint letter, Shi Wen said that in fact, he and several other colleagues have long hoped to publish such an open letter, especially when Sino-US relations continue to decline, they hope to publish it as soon as possible. The open letter has only now been published, and Steven said that it will take time to write such a letter, and the content of the letter will require the participation of many people, and the people who signed it will also need time to evaluate the contents of the letter.
According to Steven, in addition to the 100 people who initiated and co-signed, there are others who also want to sign the letter, but some have not signed. This is not entirely because they disagree with the views expressed in the letter, some because their institutions do not allow it, and others because they do not have the habit of signing a joint letter.
In addition to Steven, the other four China experts who launched the open letter include Professor Fu Tailin of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Former U.S. Ambassador to China Rui Xiaojian, Former Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Dong Yunsheng, and Harvard University Professor Vogel.
Steven told The Paper: "This letter is not only addressed to the Trump administration, but more broadly. The aim is not to criticize the government itself, but to try to correct as much as possible the widespread view that exists in both parties and other policy areas of the United States. ”
Yao Yunzhu, former director of the Sino-US Defense Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, also said in an interview with the surging news on the 9th that although the list of 100 people is not in the government, they have both Democratic Parties and Republican Parties, half of the academic circles and think tanks, and almost half of those who have served in the government and scholars, so they have a certain representativeness.
Steven revealed that more than 150 people have signed the letter. Yao Yunzhu believes that with the increase in the number of signatures, the composition of co-signatories will become more and more diverse.
It advocates a complex and all-round definition of Sino-US relations
Talking about the impact of this open letter, Yao Yunzhu believes that the initiators and co-signers of the open letter are not within the government and will not have any impact on the current government. However, the decision-making mechanism and channels that influence decision-making in the United States are very diverse and diverse.
"The open letter at least shows that the adjustment of US policy to China as an enemy has not received support from all sides." She told reporters.
Shi Wen also admitted at the press conference that he did not know how much influence this letter could have, but he hoped that the publication of this letter would make some people who support extreme policies in the United States rethink it, and he also hoped to let everyone find that in fact, the US policy is not so extreme, and the relevant policies are not accurate in describing China's extremes.
"They just disagree with the current Trump policy, they oppose the China policy that makes China the enemy," Yao Yunzhu commented, adding that the seven points of the open letter are not specific, but only reflect certain ideas, and are consistent with the policies of the previous government, but they are not necessarily advocating the previous China policy.
"What they're advocating is more continuity, a more complex and comprehensive definition of the U.S.-China relationship, rather than a simple definition, and I think they're a more mature group." Yao Yunzhu said.