"America's most dangerous adversary is China." On October 20, local time, Burns, who was nominated by US President Biden as the US ambassador to China, said so at a congressional hearing on whether he could obtain "induction qualifications". This sounds harsh, but it is not unexpected.
For some time, there has been a debate in the United States about whether to "engage" or "deter" China, whether to "dialogue" or "deterrence." Some officials believe that the United States and China should avoid falling into a "new Cold War" and that the two sides should engage in consultation and dialogue in areas of common interest.
However, these rational views are being obscured by the "anti-China fanaticism" of some politicians. Under the instigation of these people, the US Congress has lined up in recent years to pass hundreds of China-related and anti-China proposals, and the voices of "confrontation with China" have been heard endlessly, and anti-China lawmakers such as Ted Cruz have demanded that the Biden administration have "clear strategy" toward Taiwan and "make clear commitments to assist in the defense of Taiwan."
One cannot help but ask, is U.S. foreign policy too hostile to China at the moment?
In response to this problem, the US "Diplomacy" magazine investigated more than 60 experts in the field of international relations and diplomacy, and announced the results of the survey on the 19th.
Screenshot of the diplomatic magazine report
"What really changed was the American mentality"
Of the 68 experts interviewed, 36 "strongly agreed" with and "endorsed" the statement that U.S. foreign policy is too hostile to China, as well as a neutral stance. Most of these scholars have made a sober appeal to U.S.-China relations, arguing that China and the United States should maintain dialogue and cooperate in addressing global challenges.
Many experts believe that the remarks of some anti-China politicians in the United States and the "overreaction" of the United States to China are having a negative impact on the relations between the two countries.
Swain, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, believes that some US politicians have "demonized" China with statements such as "violating the rules-based order" and "democracy against authoritarianism" that have little support, which may have good political results, but have no effect on advancing US interests.
Mike Magyar, a senior political researcher at the RAND Corporation, believes that what has really become "too hostile" is the "mentality" of the United States on the China issue, which is more reflected in some proposals in the US Congress and the remarks of some politicians. This anti-China sentiment would lead the United States toward "ill-conceived" policy adjustments on issues such as Taiwan and drown out "more deliberate official positions and efforts to prevent disaster."
Stephen Orens, chairman of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, also expressed concern about "anti-China political correctness" in the United States.
Over the past 42 years, Orrance argues, "U.S. domestic politics has been worse than ever, and it is determining a more hostile policy toward China that is not in the interest of the American people."
Rui Xiaojian, founding director of the Kissinger Institute for U.S.-China Relations at the Wilson Center and former US ambassador to China, believes that the US China policy "lacks subtle levels." The United States should distinguish between "overconfident behavior" and "reaction to U.S. aggression against China's core interests (especially in Taiwan and the South China Sea)," but "overreacting" to China is seriously obscuring the Ability of the United States to distinguish between the two.
Image source: Reuters
Cooperation in areas of common interest is essential
In addition to calling on the United States to lower the "confrontational tone", experts also called on the two sides to take practical and effective measures to promote cooperation in areas of common interest.
Jin Junyuan, director of the Center for Contemporary China Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, believes that it is crucial for China and the United States to take pragmatic measures to manage bilateral relations, including cooperation in areas of common interests such as fighting the epidemic and addressing climate change. But it is more important to beware of "rising hostilities," which, while satisfying and serving America's "narrow political interests," can make it more difficult to prevent tensions from escalating.
Mr. Ho, a senior fellow in the Brookings Institution's Foreign Policy Program and a former national security committee in the Obama administration, believes the Biden administration should shift its foreign policy discussions from "tough issues" to measures that can achieve tangible and effective results.
Forcing Asian countries to choose sides is counterproductive
Scholars have also warned against the United States' behavior of forming various "anti-China alliances" in the Asia-Pacific region and constantly provoking China.
Mengari Miller, a senior fellow at the Association on Foreign Relations, believes that the United States is "paying too much attention to security issues", which is reflected in the US-Japan-Australia-India Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and the AUKUS Alliance between the United States, Britain and Australia, "The US strategy against China cannot focus solely on security, which will expose the relationship between the two countries to the risk of escalating relations without any results."
Rui Xiaojian also believes that the US China policy does not fully take into account the huge economic common interests of Asia-Pacific countries, and these countries are not willing to choose sides between China and the United States. In the eyes of Asian countries, U.S. "instinctive hostility" toward China increases the risk of conflict, which will harm the interests of all countries in the region. The United States, which has "overreacted" to China, has shown its strength, but it has "weakened the confidence of Asian countries that we can handle our relationship with China in a way that suits their interests."
Trump's "anti-China military division" clamored against China
Among the experts interviewed, some scholars also disagreed with the statement that "US foreign policy is too hostile to China." Among them, 24 people chose "disapproval" and 8 people who "strongly disagreed".
For example, Fan Alan, a professor of political science at Princeton University in the United States, believes that in the past few years, the United States has begun to respond more forcefully to China's "increasingly aggressive behavior." The challenges posed by China are enormous and are increasing. At the moment, "underreacting carries a greater risk than overreacting." However, his colleague in Princeton, Robert Keohan, an American international relations theorist, also chose to "disagree", but his position was different from that of Van Aaron. Robert Keoghan said the current U.S. policy toward China is "appropriate" but should be lowered. U.S. interests demand a response to China's "attempts to gain the upper hand," but there are also long-term interests in cooperation. "If there is an opportunity for mutually beneficial cooperation, we should seize it."
And among the "strongly disagreed" lists are names that May be familiar to Chinese readers: Matthew Pottinger, who served as a special adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese Mr. O'Brien, who served as national security adviser to the Trump administration, and John Millsheimer, a prominent American geostrategist.
The first two, who can be called Trump's "anti-China military divisions," are especially Mr. Boming, who are considered "key figures in the Trump administration's attempt to shift U.S. China policy toward a more confrontational course." The Washington Post has disclosed that it is BoMing who single-handedly promoted the United States to stigmatize China with the new crown virus. Millsheimer, on the other hand, has always advocated the argument that "Sino-US competition is a zero-sum game." His strong disagreement with the fact that U.S. foreign policy is too hostile to China is also a cliché. He said the United States was working to prevent China from becoming a "regional hegemon" for "legitimate" strategic reasons. The United States has no other choice but to work hard to balance China. The result of the competition between the two great powers of China and the United States is actually a "new Cold War" and will only become more and more intense over time.
Overseas netizens: The United States is hostile to the whole world
After the results of the survey were published, overseas netizens also expressed their views on the Twitter of "Diplomacy" magazine.
"Looking at these results, many people who agree with U.S. policy are too hostile to argue that there is room for cooperation and competition (e.g., non-zero-sum, mutual benefit, provision of global public goods, etc.)." Those who argue that they are not hostile enough to China seem to put U.S. interests first, and only. ”
For "the United States is too hostile to China", netizens believe that this range is too narrow. "In fact, not only China, but U.S. foreign policy is hostile to the whole world. Try to be sensible. ”
"The 240-year-old American elite thinks they know everything, have everything, and will always have it all. Typical human tragedy. ”
Others believe that the so-called "China threat theory" in the United States is nothing more than self-directed and self-acted. "Otherwise, why do ships from Western countries such as Britain and the United States appear in the South China Sea?" They are trying to force China into a desperate situation, and if an accident happens in the Taiwan Strait, they will accuse China of waging war as usual! ”
"The United States wants to lead the world through war and regime change, and it sees China as a threat to America's 'world leadership' and 'greatness.'" egomania? Narcissist? Or can't you live without enemies? ”
"It is impossible for the United States to establish a world order ruled and dominated by the United States. Now China is winning the hearts and minds of many countries with its constructive participation. ”
Source: Reference News Network