China is the most serious long-term challenge to the international system, according to the US Secretary of State. Antony Blinken said that when he unveiled the Biden administration's strategy to counter China's rise as a global superpower. He insisted that Washington did not want a new conflict, but said that under President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party was becoming more oppressive at home and more aggressive abroad. Blinken cited examples, including regional disputes in the South China Sea, and accused Beijing of standing with Russia in its attack on Ukraine. China is the most serious challenge to the international system. The United States has accused Beijing of undermining global security as the secretary of state unveiled Washington's strategy to compete with China.
"We don't seek to block China from its role
as a major power nor to stop China or any other country for that matter from
growing their economy or advancing the interests of their people, but we will
defend and strengthen the international law, agreements, principles, and
institutions that maintain peace and security, protect the rights of
individuals, and sovereign nations. And make it possible for all countries including
the United States and China to coexist and cooperate. China is the only country
with both the intent to reshape the international order and increasingly the
economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it. Beijing's vision
would move us away from the universal values that have sustained so much of the
world's progress over the past 75 years." –Antony Blinken.
China's Foreign Ministry has
condemned Blinken's remarks.
"The international order and international rules have clear definitions. China proposes that all countries should uphold the UN-centered international system, safeguard the international order based on international law and the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the principle of the UN charter. China is committed to upholding all of this. To accuse China of posing the most serious long-term challenge to the international order if that's not disinformation, then what is?" –Wang Wenbin, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
China’s Foreign Minister is on
a 10-day visit to eight Pacific countries. Wang Yi is expected to push for a
broader regional agreement to deepen security and trade cooperation. Regional
allies such as the United States and Australia say it will increase tensions.
President Joe Biden's recent remarks about Taiwan have also angered Beijing. On
Tuesday, he said the United States would respond militarily if the island was
attacked. The White House later withdrew its comments. He has repeatedly
criticized Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong and alleged human rights abuses in
Xinjiang.
China's human rights record is straining relations
with the West.
Read more: Biden's visit to Asia: A move to contain China
China-US relations:
Secretary Blinken's speech was
expected, but it's also a bit surprising because a year and a half later we
were thinking that the Biden administration should make some progress on this
most important bilateral relationship in the world after gaining its position.
We did not expect Secretary Blinken to make China the number one rival for the
US as a threat to the world order. This is not really true because China is a decent
country and its rise is really good for the global economy. China contributes
more than a third of global GDP growth. China is becoming the largest trading
nation, and China has lifted 800 million people from poverty. It has embraced
globalization, but it has also contributed to globalization. So, I think the
United States and China should look at each other with cooperation, but of
course, we have healthy competition, but it should not be threatened as an
enemy. Climate change, the Covid Pandemic, and many other areas in which China
and the US can still cooperate. We must do more than just antagonize each
other. (Wang H)
Pakistan faces a severe crisis: To watch the full video, click: Global Lenses
Blinken's criticism of Beijing:
There is an element of truth in
many of the criticisms that both China and the United States make against each
other. But it is inflated and distorted and exaggerated in a way that is not
healthy and it only reinforces the zero thinking that both sides are holding
against each other. China is a concern for the United States and other
countries in some ways, but the biggest concern, as I often tell people, is not
China. It is not a threat to the West or other countries. The threat is the interactive
worst-case zero-sum dynamic. It is a dynamic driven by large, simple narratives
that do not take into account the various complex and conflicting interests
facing countries. This is the narrative that really threatens the world system.
(Swain M.)
US strategy to deal with China:
Blinken said that China has become more
repressive at home and more aggressive abroad under President Xi Jinping.
This is the speech we have been
expecting for some time. In fact, the Biden administration is setting its
position on China. So what does it imply is that the key question for the US
government now is the relationship with China, which it sees as its rival. In
some places, the tone of the speech is actually quite welcome, especially at
the back of the speech where Blinken suggested areas where they can cooperate.
But in reality, its focus is on China's challenge to the United States'
position. I would like to add one point, an outline of China's relations with
the international system. Since Deng Xiaoping, China has fully committed itself
to the international system. It has been a strong supporter of it and, as it
always says in a very reasonable way, it is going to be of great benefit to it.
Therefore, China is not a threat to the global system. It is not an accurate
representation of the situation. Being realistic, I add when you look at the
rise of China given the size and the speed at which it has transformed, it is
bound to change the world in profound ways and no one can do anything about it.
This is a fact, it is a great historical phenomenon of our time and it will
continue in the future. (Jacques M.)
China's position:
China has invested heavily in the
Asia-Pacific region, where Western nations are not investing as much. This is
one of the obstacles to forging cordial relations between the West and China.
Looking at 30 members of the
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, most of whom are neighbors of China and almost
all of them are the largest trading partners of China. So how can the US get
out of the blue by saying let's get together and not let the region's
largest economy become part of it? I don't know how long it will last, but it's
dangerous for the world to build secure military alliances and aggravate the
military budget of every country. We have NATO expansion, Five Eyes, South
Korea is trying to get involved in NATO intelligence work; AUKUS focusing on a nuclear submarine, QUAD; now a
mini-NATO that we've probably created. Therefore, it is good to move forward
with bilateral aid and economic globalization of the RCEP; the
largest free trade agreement, CPTPP; Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership, and China African Corporations. If the US wills, China is
ready to be a part of it. But trying to form circles and then stop or block
certain countries like China from joining which is already the largest economy
in the region should be avoided. (Wang H)
Sino-Russian nexus:
Russia's invasion of Ukraine
reinforces the notion that today the formation of the world order should be
democracy versus dictatorship because here we have an example, suppose we have
an aggressive dictatorial state that threatens a democratic or quasi-democratic
state. The next thing people would say looking at China that it is also a
dictatorial state and Taiwan is a democracy and the former has designs on
Taiwan. Hence, China is going to attack Taiwan in the same way that Russia
attacked Ukraine. Thus, you have a deep sense of the danger posed by such
states when in fact the calculations, stakes, and interests involved in these
two cases are quite different. To apply what is happening in Ukraine to what
the Chinese can do with Taiwan today is to distort simplicity and reality. Now
it has in some ways reinforced the image of China and Russia being connected,
which they are in some respects. However, China has not come out and has not
strongly supported the West and NATO’s position on the war, although China strongly
opposes attacks on sovereign states by other countries. China does not want to
come out openly and reject Russia but also does not want to come out and fully
support what Russia has done or try to pressurise the West to favor Russia. (Swain
M.)
Taiwan matter:
Blinken said the United States
would respond militarily if the island was attacked. The White House later
withdrew the comments.
It's very disturbing, President
Biden has talked via phone several times with Beijing. Each time, President
Biden said, we respect China. We do not want to change China or unite against
China. But whenever he communicated with other people he seemed quite
different. So, it's really hard for China to understand. The Ukraine issue is
also a really good reminder for everyone, be it NATO or the US or Russia or
China because when it comes to sovereignty and territorial integrity if there
is a violation, international condemnation and criticism are welcome. Taiwan is
recognized by 60 to 70 countries of the world as part of China. It is a
condition for establishing diplomatic relations with China. Therefore, China's
national sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected in the same
way as Ukraine’s. The United States should not uphold this principle against Ukraine
only, but also for China. Its sovereignty and territorial integrity should be
respected. (Wang H)
China during the Biden administration:
There are differences in tone, but
the striking fact about the Biden administration is that it has more or less
inherited Trump's stance on China. It's less chaotic. This is not as
exaggerated as Trump did, but basically, we are witnessing a shift in US
politics towards a new antagonism towards China. I don't think we're in a new
Cold War right now, but there are aspects to it. I'm afraid to say it, but it
will continue for a long time to come, and in fact, in some ways, the interesting
thing about this speech is that the United States is preparing itself for a long. For example, emphasizing the importance of improving American
competitiveness and economic capabilities in many different areas. The truth is
that the United States has long neglected these questions. China has been
leading the United States for the last 20 years. (Jacques M.)
The Trump administration's policy
towards China was chaotic. There were different views from different people at
different times and then of course President Trump Was making riffs as he
wished. Therefore, the policy was not really very clear in many ways except
that it had a heavy ideological and trade balance tinge to it which was based
on a very simple understanding of world trade. It was not very strategic.
Whereas the Biden administration has altered it. They have become more
organized, I would not say completely strategic, but more organized in the
sense that they are looking for allies and groups from other countries to
strengthen their relations with them So that a comprehensive strategy can be
devised to encircle China. But the problem with that is that there is an
underlying assumption that can be seen in Blinken's speech that there's really
no point in engaging China. We know what China is and it has been defined as an
existential threat in almost every area. However, the US can cooperate with
them in areas where there is a strong common interest, such as climate change,
but that cannot be achieved if you are in a zero-sum relationship with China. (Swain M.)
Areas that the two countries can
work together now:
The US Secretary of State, Blinken
said there are areas where the two countries should work together, including
tackling the climate crisis, and Covid19.
There is so much to cooperate in
addition to climate change and infrastructure. For example, China is at the
forefront, and in the last four decades, it has changed the whole country. China now has two-thirds of the world's high-speed
railway; the 10 largest container ports. Seven
of them are in China. So, infrastructure has now become a consensus. We see
President Biden providing a $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan, and the EU has
announced a €300 billion global gateway to invest in it. Hence, why don't we work together? Let's
strengthen development banks, and replenish the World Bank. Let's move banks to development:
ADB, AFDB, and Inter-American Development Bank. We will share the same
language to work together to tackle the infrastructure deficit of many
developing countries, including developed countries. Let's find something to
work on so that we don't obsess with differences and exaggerate them and then
really blow up and fight each other eventually. This is very dangerous. (Wang
H)
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Michael D Swain, Director of the East
Asia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
Martin Jacques, author of the book, "When China
Rules the World"
Huiyao (Henry) Wang, founder of the
Center for China and Globalization, a Think Tank in China
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