US-China rift signals risky shift in global order

US-China trade talks end without agreement. Photo: Getty

Expert Alice Ekman from the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI) commented that from the escalating trade war to the struggle for influence in the East Sea, "we have entered a period of strong and long-term confrontation between the US and China".

Meanwhile, expert Brahma Chellaney from the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi (India) said: "A typical change in US policy towards China is taking place, with great impact on the bilateral relationship which plays the most important role in the world, and most importantly for global security. The profound policy change under President Donald Trump will help him stay in the US presidency longer because it reflects the bipartisan consensus in Washington, where the previous policy of "constructive engagement" with China has failed."

According to expert Jean-Francois Di Meglio from the research and consulting firm called Asia Center in Paris (France), for President Trump, "the fatal mistake was letting China join the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001".

“Before that, we had a Chinese government that was playing the Westernization game, getting the US and the EU to say, ‘Let’s open them up and give them developing country status,’ which China saw as a huge victory. And 2001 saw the country’s trade surplus explode and Beijing’s foreign exchange reserves go through the roof,” he explained.

So far, President Trump's moves have not had any major negative impact on the US economy, but analysts say the consequences of the escalating confrontation between the US and China could be felt around the world.

And even if the US-China trade war does not escalate further, there are still many other areas that will see confrontation, such as China's growing technological prowess, especially its ability to develop high-speed 5G mobile networks.

In addition, Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative could also prolong US-China tensions.