Opinion | Despite Raimondo's efforts: Military-to-military cooperation will not work – if Austin remains

By Augustus K. Yeung

INTRODUCTION

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo's visit to China represents the last leg of Washington's efforts to warm up chilly ties. Given her personality, portfolio and the importance of trade and commerce to China, her professed goal will largely be accomplished. But to resume military-to-military cooperation is an issue larger than life. And Lloyd Austin does not value life!

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo yesterday said she and her Chinese counterpart agreed to exchange information on U.S. export controls that frustrate Beijing and set up a group to discuss other commercial issues, but neither side appeared ready to make concessions – on disputes that have plunged relations to their lowest level in decades.

Raimondo said she and her counterpart Wang Wentao agreed during a four-hour meeting to launch an "information exchange" on export controls. She said they also will set up a "working group" of officials and private sector representatives to "seek solutions on trade and investment issues."

A key Chinese complaint is limits on access to processor chips and other U.S. technology on security grounds that threaten to hamper China's ambition to develop artificial intelligence and other industries.

"The United States is committed to being transparent about our export control enforcement strategy," Raimondo told reporters at Ambassador Nicholas Bruns's official residence.

"We are not compromising or negotiating in matters of national security," she said. "But this is meant to be a dialogue where we increase transparency."

Earlier, Wang, her counterpart told Raimondo that Beijing is ready to work together to "foster a more favorable policy environment for stronger cooperation" and "bolster bilateral trade and investment."

Note: Beijing broke off dialogues with Washington on military, climate and other issues in August 2022 in retaliation for a visit to Taiwan by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In contrast, Xi and Biden's meeting last November in Indonesia was the most memorable, and the Chinese state press had given them extensive positive coverage, making the occasion a landmark for good Sino-U.S. bilateral relations.

How Washington has Lost China's Trust, and Lloyd Austin is the Main Cause

In June, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Xi for 30 minutes during a visit that was postponed from February after a Chinese surveillance balloon entered U.S. airspace. The Chinese leader called on Washington to change policies on Taiwan and other issues. But Beijing rebuffed a request to resume military-to-military cooperation.

On the day Raimondo's visit to Beijing was announced, Washington removed 27 Chinese companies from a blacklist that limits access to U.S. technology.

The decision "may have helped grease the wheels for Raimondo's trip," said Anna Ashton and Kylie Milliken of Eurasia Group in a report.

It suggests Washington "is making modest but measurable progress with Beijing in re-establishing limited government-to-government communication," Ashton and Milliken wrote. "Raimondo's visit could produce additional progress."

Meeting with Wang, Raimondo defended the Biden administration's "de-risking" strategy of trying to increase domestic U.S. production of semiconductors and other high-tech goods and to create additional sources of supply to reduce chances of disruption. Beijing has criticized that as an attempt to isolate China and hamper its development.

"It is not intended to hinder China's economic progress. We believe a strong Chinese economy is a good thing," Raimondo told the Chinese minister. "We seek healthy competition with China. A growing Chinese economy that plays by the rules is in both of our interests."

Raimondo also was due to meet China's No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang, and other officials. "U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is greeted by Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, yesterday," an English-language newspaper reported today.

Unfortunately, the Biden administration has taken steps that are likely to rankle Beijing. In June, Biden added 59 Chinese companies including military contractors and semiconductor manufacturers to a list of entities Americans are prohibited from investing in. Last week, Washington approved a $500 million arms sale to Taiwan including infrared tracking systems for advanced F-16 fighter jets. (Source: MDT/AP)

CONCLUSION

Despite Washington's desire to resuscitate the military-to-military cooperation, the mission remains impossible. Why?!

China may be obsessed with trade, commerce and global economic development, but when it comes to the military, especially the Taiwan issue, concessions are not to be expected – as Beijing considers both the U.S.-China military relations, and the sensitive Taiwan Strait situations as "a matter-of-principle".

China treasures its relationship with the United States military, but with a belligerent Lloyd at the helm, the trust is gone; the military-to-military communication is meaningless, not to mention cooperation.

Note: U.S. general's legacy for ties lauded. The late General J. Stilwell reflected close military cooperation in tough times, experts say.

What the Chinese military expects is respect and mutual trust. But Lloyd has failed in both, resulting in resentment in the PLA – with some patriotic army officers pledging to sacrifice themselves for the motherland rather than to be humiliated by Austin who is seen as a big bully.

A bully does not see himself as bullying, and so his act of bullying continues until one day it bursts into conflicts, and violence erupts, causing collateral damage. The suicidal attempts of some PLA officers are scary examples to support the argument that the two militaries must maintain mutual respect.

Since the era of Mao Zedong and the early days of the two Cross-Strait crises, the Chinese military has been instructed to observe this cardinal rule when Americans are involved. Go over Henry Kissinger's book On China, and the readers will understand the principle that national reunification is China's internal affair. It should not involve innocent third-party American servicemen. A pugnacious and provocative military leader like Lloyd Austin will never understand, not to mention observing this principle.

U.S. policy of de-risking is disruptive, but Secretary Raimondo can secure Chinese trade and commerce cooperation; however, Lloyd Austin is destructive and dangerous as he has been identified as the weakest link in the Biden administration.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

To contact the writer, please direct email: AugustusKYeung@ymail.com

 

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