Opinion | Has US President Joe Biden gone 'sanctions' crazy?!
By Augustus K. Yeung
"Xi Jinping [is] given 'a pretty good understanding of what might come his way' should he aid Putin." Wendy Sherman, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, mildly relaying Joe Biden's unpresidential message of threat.
Introduction
One moment, the US president Joe Biden is threatening the leader of China—warning him against the risk of aiding Russia – and the next mean thing that this man is doing is to target innocent people, including "Putin's daughters, accusing them of hiding riches," according to Agencies.
The US president's words of hostility and deeds of threat smacks of behaving like a New York mafia boss. One wonders whether Joe Biden is an honorable member of the infamous Sicilian family, a New York crime syndicate, giving the general impression that he learns fast from his predecessor, well known for notoriety.
At a time when the world is suffering from the pain and frustrations that the lockdowns create, the U.S. leader is frantically busy, making hate speech in Warsaw and imposing sanctions on this country and that country for not doing Uncle Joe's bidding.
The fact that nations disagree with his wayward foreign policies does not mean that he is right and that the other world leaders are wrong; these national leaders--who dare to be different--have good reasons against economic sanctions. For example, they strongly believe would hurt the global economy and would most likely lead to disasters such as world famine in developing countries, etc.
The following is a case in point, attesting to the barbaric behavior of the U.S president who has apparently gone "sanctions" crazy'; the word "sanctions", is becoming overused and unwelcomed verbiage.
Consequences China Faces "if Caught Aiding Russia…"
"A top US State Department official has given fresh hints of the consequences China might face if it gets caught aiding Russia in the invasion of Ukraine – the latest sign that Beijing has failed to convince Washington of its proclaimed neutrality in the war," reports Jacob Fromer for the Post. ("US envoy warns of sanctions for China if it assists Russia". South China Morning Post. Friday, April 8, 2022)
"I think one only has to look at the range of sanctions, more to be announced today, against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman, the department's No 2 official, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"It gives President Xi, I think, a pretty good understanding of what might come his way should he in fact support Putin in any material fashion."
US President Joe Biden's administration has repeatedly warned China about the potential economic fallout should it help Russia in the war, whether financially.
Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman Sketched in Some Possibilities
Numerous reports, citing US officials, have said that Beijing has considered providing that help. But Washington has been mostly silent on the details of what those consequences might look like.
Sherman sketched in some possibilities. She referred to sanctions against Russia's economy – "against individuals who are enablers, against elites, against oligarchs, export controls, designations" – and emphasized that they had come not only from the US, "but in unprecedented fashion, coordinated with our allies and partners, not just New York, but throughout the world".
"We hope…the PRC gets some lessons learned out of this," she said. "I hope there are some lessons learned that sanctions bite, that we will keep them coming, that there will be consequences for actions."
Through the war, China has struggled to portray itself to a Western audience as neutral, despite years of proclaiming the sanctity of its own foreign policy.
Beijing may have promoted Kremlin disinformation about the war – including the notion that Russia's objective was the "denazification" of Ukraine – while emphasizing repeatedly that Sino-Russian relationship has "no limits".
Biden Wonders: Just How Hard to Press China Over its Partnership with Russia
The Biden administration has debated internally just how hard to press China over its partnership with Russia.
At times, Sherman seemed to embody that debate – issuing warnings to Beijing, then insisting that China must have been horrified by, for example, Russia's violence against civilians, which Biden has called war crimes.
"I think we've all seen indications that they are conflicted somewhat," Sherman said, referring to Beijing.
"That's not to say they don't see Russia as a partner. I'm not naïve. They do. But they've also been public to say it is not an alliance," she said.
"And they certainly, I think even in the meeting the other day, were horrified by what happened in Bucha [the site of a massacre of civilians].
"Who could not have been by that video?
"I think this is an ongoing circumstance and relationship, and we're going to have to keep at it," reports Jacob Fromer. ("US envoy warns of sanctions for China if it assists Russia". South China Morning Post. Friday, April 8, 2022).
Conclusion
Given Sherman's gentle style, knowing that she is a decent and sensible top official, Joe Biden's real recipe for sanctioning China if it ever helps Russia could sound much harsher, if not filtered through her personal policy of good-will and diplomatic language.
However, the thinking and behavioral style of Joe Biden, given his top priority for unifying a divided nation as his campaign pledge, do appear threatening and horrible, which is not the kind of person such as Sherman is comfortable delivering: Biden has chosen to neglect the urgent need for food of the world's poor children starving in East Africa in favor of fulfilling his promise.
If Joe Biden ever puts his threatening lines of thinking into practice, he sure will be the first American president to go down history as a "thug"—in the very category of criminals that he labels his presidential rivals.
The author is a freelance writer; formerly Adjunct Lecturer, taught MBA Philosophy of Management, and International Strategy, and online columnist of 3-D Corner (HKU SPACE), University of Hong Kong.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
Read more articles by Augustus K. Yeung:
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