Opinion | Blinken visit signals US damage control efforts over China-US rivalry
By Augustus K. Yeung
INTRODUCTION
Blinken is in Beijing this Sunday and Monday for talks, but what is on the agenda? What would he accomplish in the end?
Former U.S. diplomats agree that in recent years China-US rivalry has plummeted to the point where it must be rescued before the two sides "sleepwalk into conflict".
Beijing seeks to play a "constructive role"; it only wants the US to respect China's sovereignty over Taiwan, an underlined "one China principle", and the "red bottom line" which China has repeatedly emphasized, while Washington and its allies seems to be adding fuel to China-US rivalry by playing the Taiwan card, in addition to trade sanctions, etc.
Former US ambassadors weigh in on bilateral ties
Three former US ambassadors to China described the current US-China relationships as unsatisfactory, unsettling and complicated, but said the two countries are interdependent, and wiser policy decisions and diplomacy would help fix relations and benefit the world.
J. Stapleton Roy, who was ambassador from 1991-95, Gary Locke, who served from 2011-14, and Terry Branstad, from 2017-20, shared their experiences, insights and expectations on US-China relations on Friday (May 6, 2022) at a panel discussion in Washington, DC. The event was hosted by the Committee of 100, a nonpartisan organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia and the arts.
Roy said the current confrontational stance between the US and China doesn't serve the interest of either country. He said there are two "key elements" of US policy toward China: "The first is the one-China policy and the second is the insistence that every issue be resolved peacefully."
Locke warned about serious consequences that would result from US-China confrontation or the decoupling of the two economies.
Branstad said, "There are big contradictions, but the fact is, even despite that, there is interdependency."
Asked by panel moderator Cheng Li, director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Washington-based Brookings Institute, to choose one word to describe current US-China relations, Roy said "unsatisfactory", Locke said "unsettling" and Branstad said "complicated".
"US policy is heavily influenced by the domestic attitude. It did not take into account the fact that China's prosperity has been the engine of growth in East Asia, and more probably in the world for much of the last two decades," Roy said.
Locke, who is also a former US secretary of commerce, said: "We are not sure where we are going… There are a lot of very tough issues separating the United States and China."
He noted that the two economies are intertwined and said many US jobs depend on selling goods to China, from agricultural products to Boeing aircraft.
He said that neither Democrats nor Republicans are thinking long-term and understanding the implications of China policy on people, businesses and employees at home as well as in China and around the world.
Branstad said there are "complicated and difficult issues" between the US and China, but he doesn't think they should block bilateral relations.
Regarding areas of differences, the two countries must try to "work those out," he added. (Source: China Daily)
Chinese envoy's interview shows US arrogance (Letters to Editor)
China's ambassador to the US, Qin Gang, gave an interview to the American media recently and I read the transcript with deep engagement. It is refreshing in many ways," said Lim Wei, a reader who wrote from Selangor, Malaysia, according to SCMP.
The Western journalists were not there to allow the ambassador a walk in the park. They threw wrenches in the works at every opportunity.
Yet Qin displayed a deep understanding of the wide range of issues, and knowledge of them from multiple perspectives. He was able to answer the questions. That speaks to his philosophical depth and self-awareness.
Yet towards the end of the interview, Nahal Tossie of Politico surprisingly described Qin as "sticking to the talking points", even though he clearly was not. She likely walked into the event prepared to raise that, regardless of what the reality would be. This is an easy hit consistent with the prevailing image in the West of China as an authoritarian system…
This brings us to the philosophy that likely informs US behavioral towards China, that Americans use their geopolitical advantage to create a reality of their own, in defiance of what the reality is.
[The American media] are aware of the advantages of language and global audience reach that they wield, and likely feel tempted to test the limits of what their power gives them.
Taiwan and US should stop pushing for war
When president Jimmy Carter signed the promise to help protect Taiwan from invasion, it was an easy decision. The only way war could start would be if Taiwan tried to secede.
Nancy Pelosi, Trump, Joe Biden and others who forget all history seem to want Taiwan to secede. Why? Right now, Taiwan has freedom, autonomy, peace and prosperity.
Tell President Tsai Ing-wen to stop pushing for war and instead restore tourism and trade with mainland China, writes Bill Waters, another Post reader from Texas, US. (Source: SCMP)
CONCLUSION
The views from the three former US diplomats are practical, fair and unbiased. And the views from the two readers of South China Morning Posts, one from Malaysia and the other from Texas, America are honest opinions on the issues: US media arrogance; and its administration's violation of the inalienable (sovereignty) rights of China over Taiwan region.
Aren't there damaging issues that President Biden has to manage and control?
As a pragmatic politician, and with his adamant sense of logic and legacy, he will sooner or later be responding pragmatically to China. And meeting President X, Blinken might be carrying a personal message on behalf of U.S. President Joe Biden.
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.
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