Opinion | The United States is out of sync with rest of the world

Global security is effective only when the world’s powers work together. At the recent annual Munich security conference, China and the European Union were among those voicing an eagerness to cooperate. But the administration of United States President Donald Trump has created a dilemma, its different vision and “join us or be against us” mentality ensuring uncertainty, missed opportunities and risks. No approach can be effective unless there is genuine American participation, leaving governments in a quandary.

The views were starkly on show in back-to-back speeches by host and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and US Vice-President Mike Pence. Merkel praised multilateralism, while Pence lauded Trump’s more isolationist policy. She won plaudits and rousing applause, he scattered hand-clapping, mostly from his delegation. The divisions run so deep that as the gathering ended, the only hope seemed to lie in governments pooling resources as best they can until Trump is no longer in office.

Pence went to Europe with greetings from Trump. The silence was deafening

But hoping and waiting is no way to approach a matter as important as security. Merkel made that clear, defending German foreign relations and criticising the US for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and pulling out troops fighting Islamic State extremists in Syria. But Pence contended the pact with Tehran was “disastrous” and reiterated American opposition to a gas pipeline being built between Russia and Germany. He also stepped up pressure on Chinese technology firm Huawei; the US is trying to have it frozen out of participation in building 5G telecommunications networks on the grounds Huawei is a security risk.

The allegation has never been proven. State Councillor Yang Jiechi, China’s top diplomat, rejected the claim and backed Merkel’s vision. But a call by the chancellor for China to join the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, in danger of collapse with the US quitting over claims of Russian violations, was dismissed as placing unfair limits on the military. Yang said the world should “pull together” to address global challenges and that by doing so, all would share equally in the benefits. The view is right, but anathema to Trump’s “America first” policy.

Pence hailed what had so far been achieved by Trump’s presidency as “remarkable” and “extraordinary”. But no one outside the administration is fooled by such rhetoric; the trade war with China, withdrawing from multilateral accords and preventing the use of cutting-edge technology is curtailing growth and progress. Worse, dangerous situations are being created by unilateral actions, provocations and threats.