Category: United States

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1185584.shtml?fbclid=IwAR1SVO3JlFJn2GfEI2C5eyieNyJTBEy3e8QYa8TuTljkxgiMDFRxtmDPSoc It is beyond the Chinese people’s imagination that China-US relations have become what they are today. The epidemic outbreak brings new shocks, and the turbulence in relations between the two countries is likely to be more severe. No one in China wants that.

Some held the view that China brought this on itself. Those people said China should fully demonstrate its goodwill toward the US and make major concessions in the hope of regaining the trust of the US and putting the relationship back on track.

Those people are so naïve to believe that it is China that has ruined the China-US relationship and as long as China fundamentally changes its attitude, bilateral ties can improve significantly. There are profound and complex reasons for the deterioration of China-US relations. The biggest driving force behind the change in US attitude toward China is the constant change of the strength pattern between China and the US. The US does not accept the possibility of China becoming a parallel and equal force. This is the fundamental reason.

Many people say that in the 1980s, the relationship between China and the US was so good. Why can’t that atmosphere be recovered? In the 1980s the Soviet Union was the No.1 enemy of the US, and a weak China at that time was the one the US was trying to win over. China’s strategic position was as comfortable as India’s is today, and the US adopted a broadly supportive policy towards China. Today, the situation is quite different. A stronger China is seen by Washington as its top strategic rival, and some US politicians are even thinking of roping in Russia to contain China. 

If, as they imagine, the US were to return to its old attitude towards China, the first thing China needs to do is to turn back the clock of development by more than 20 years, and go further to reassure the US. This means that China must first stop its high-tech progress and let the US take the lead in all-round scientific and technological development. China has to focus only on low-end industries, unable to compete with the US and the West in high-end manufacturing.

These are not enough. It also means that China needs to fully accept US dominance over the Taiwan question. China should also accept international arbitration on the South China Sea issue and dismantle its new facilities on Nansha Islands. Beijing will have to accept the arrangement of Washington over questions of Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong of China.

Ultimately, the US would also demand that China impose significant self-limits on its development of nuclear weapons and strategic strike capabilities.

Do you think China can back down on these issues? And where does this end? Did the US let Russia off the hook after the collapse of the Soviet Union? No. Russia inherited the Soviet nuclear weapons, which did not reassure the US. The US has spared no effort to further weaken Russia and squeeze its strategic space.

What the US really wants to do is weaken China so that it completely loses its strategic competitiveness against the US. The US won’t stop until China is brought to its knees and crippled.

Unfortunately, US strategic vigilance against China is fully activated and the reality is that we can’t go back.

It’s meaningless to look back at the old China-US relations. We have to look forward with the strength of realism, accept the challenges we will face as a great power, and meet the challenges of the future with new will and wisdom.

China’s endurance is no longer the same as it was 20 or 30 years ago. We have a unique Chinese philosophy of resistance to pressure. We will not become a second Soviet Union, nor will we provoke the antagonism and confrontation between China and the US from our side. China ‘s way of safeguarding its core interests will be brand new, and we need to surprise history.

President Xi Jinping spoke with US President Donald Trump on the phone on the morning of 7 February.

President Xi highlighted the all-out efforts made by the Chinese government and people to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak. Featuring nationwide mobilization, across-the-board arrangements and rapid response, it is a people’s war against the epidemic with the most comprehensive and rigorous measures. Such efforts are producing results. China has full confidence and capability to prevail over the epidemic. The long-term upward trajectory of the Chinese economy remains unchanged.

Xi affirmed China’s commitment to protecting the lives and health of not only its own people but also other people around the world. With openness, transparency and a sense of responsibility, China has kept WHO, the United States and other countries and regions updated, and has invited WHO and other experts to conduct field visits in Wuhan. As the first line of defence against the epidemic, China has taken timely, decisive and forceful measures, which have been fully recognized and highly appreciated by WHO and many countries.

Xi noted the continuing communication over the epidemic between China and the US. He expressed appreciation for President Trump’s positive comments on China’s efforts on different occasions, and thanked the various communities in the US for their donations. It takes joint efforts from all countries to contain epidemics. The fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak has come to a crucial stage. WHO has repeatedly given its professional advice and called on all countries to avoid overreaction. China hopes that the US will evaluate the situation calmly and develop and adjust its response in line with the actual situation. China and the US should maintain communication and strengthen coordination to jointly control the epidemic.

President Trump expressed full support for China’s efforts to control the epidemic and readiness to send experts to China and provide other forms of assistance. The fact that China has finished building special hospitals for the patients in a matter of days is impressive. It fully demonstrates China’s exceptional ability of organization and response.

Trump expressed confidence that the Chinese people, under the leadership of President Xi, will win the battle against the outbreak. He said that the US has confidence in China’s economic growth. The US will be very calm in its response to the epidemic and continue communication and cooperation with China through bilateral and WHO channels.