American elites divided over China's rise
(Baonghean.vn) - China's relentless rise has caused deep divisions in Washington over the long-term direction of its relationship with Beijing.
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| US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: Getty |
Mr. Kurt M. Campbell, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs and the "architect" of the pivot to the East policy of the previous administration of Barack Obama, commented:
“Even those who were optimistic, hopeful, and in some ways romantic about the US-China relationship have been forced to confront a new China.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Orville H.Shcell, Director of the Center for US-China Relations at the Asia Society in New York, said that President Xi's ambition to take power clearly wants China to become prominent, "clearly highlighting the disagreement between this country and liberal democracies around the world."
According to this expert, disillusionment with China existed long before Mr. Xi consolidated power in the Politburo.
“If you look further out, you can see that we are going down different paths,” said Mr. Shcell, who has close ties to China.
Experts say President Xi's rise to power reflects not only his formidable strength but also instability in China's economy.
For his part, President Trump's handling of China reflects not only his protectionist trade agenda and America First foreign policy, but also his reluctance to personally antagonize President Xi.
Despite criticizing China as an economic predator, Mr. Trump has yet to impose sweeping trade sanctions on the country.
He declined to label China a currency manipulator last year because he thought the timing was not right, given that President Xi had agreed to help the United States pressure North Korea to curb its nuclear and missile programs.
“It is now clear that President Xi will not relinquish power, so getting tough on China is even more imperative,” said Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader. “If President Trump and Congress do not crack down on Beijing’s predatory trade practices, China will continue to eat our lunch for years to come.”
Some former officials say President Xi's efforts to maintain power should not deepen the conflict with the United States.
Expert John L. Thornton, former president of Goldman Sachs, who taught at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said that in this chaotic world, the two countries need to focus on what unites them, not what divides them./.
