TTT-New Delhi: The no-trust relationship between China and the United States emerged recently – despite both the countries’ projected willingness for bilateralism – after Joe Biden spoke to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to emphaise the need for better ties but simultaneously expressed concern over Beijing’s coercive and unfair economic practices and skirted around the issue of human rights abuses in Xinjiang and overassertive actions against Taiwan.
Xi Jinping’s reactionary reply that it these were ‘China’s internal affairs’ and that the U.S. should treat these matters with respect and caution, underlined Beijing’s stubborn stand and its unwillingness to talk further about issues that have now become subjects of international discussion.
With the U.S. not in the mood to lift tariffs on China as of yet, and with no intention of reducing its military presence in Asia either, Xi Jinping, on hearing this, had visible furrows on his forehead.
The U.S. administration has already initiated a review of its strategy towards China which has, in turn, prompted Beijing to show its double standards in speech and action by following the Mao slogan ‘resist America and assist Korea’ – first seen during the Korean war.
Now Beijing is strategizing to bring the U.S. to its knees diplomatically and may mount a disinformation campaign against Washington.
As such, Beijing sees lot of countries in the Asia-Pacific region as alternative poles for its support system, and the ongoing rollback of its military from the India’s border can be easily termed as a step in the right direction for future cordial Sino-China relations.
The Chinese application Kuaishou was used to spread rumours that the U.S. was responsible for some aspects of the coronavirus during the pandemic-peak.
It is now not an possibility that China may plant stories against the U.S. directly or atop its own image, through stories similar in form to China becoming the biggest economy by 2028, outpacing the U.S., as was seen recently.
Both countries have their own issues to deal with and neither needs this right now.
Beijing has more foes than friends, and its dream of being a superpower is a becoming distant vision.
It has added the United Kingdom to its ‘foe-list’ after it decided to ban the BBC World News in the Chinese mainland.
Peoples’ health and the country’s environmental issues are two major problems now facing China.
The United States, on the other hand, is worried about its dwindling economy and increasing levels of unemployment among its youth under new President Joe Biden.
The United States and China are not in a position to hold armed cudgels against each other as it would result in disaster as China foresees.
The U.S. is flexible but China’s rigidity is stemmed in its sharp edged distrust of Taiwan, Japan, India and of course, now, the United States as well as a few countries in the European Union.
Confusion prevails in the United States camp too as it faces off against an opponent that also doubles as a huge trading partner.
In the case of a direct confrontation, the U.S. may discover lots of economic trenches leading to the toppling over of its own development.
China meanwhile fears being isolated on the international circuit, and the jolt of countries in the EU not awarding it the status of a ‘market economy’ has pushed it further into rethinking its foreign policy.
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