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Letters | South China Sea: what’s behind China’s muted reaction to US provocation?
- While the US, its allies and the media are fanning the anti-China flames, it is strange that China seems to be holding back in its response
Witnessing what has been happening in the South China Sea is like watching the two heavyweights in the room having first a verbal articulation, followed by a gang carrying sticks to the fight as we see naval vessels in an already-crowded area.
Various think tanks and interest groups are increasingly concerned about the aggressive statements and actions of the United States with regard to China at a time when there is a need for maximum global cooperation to tackle the enormous challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, these same groups and other neutral camps are accused of being paid by the Chinese government and disseminating Chinese propaganda. The result is greater support in the US for anti-China trade practices and also naval ships deployed across the world, but to what end?
Why are the US, its allies and the media fanning the flames? Perhaps the initial intent was from a real or perceived irritation with China and a need to rally around a bogeyman. Was the emergence of Covid-19 in Wuhan just a convenient addition to the narrative? This helped distract from America’s own shortsightedness and mishandling of Covid-19 and its subsequent economic woes.
Any sensible citizen of the world living in this neighbourhood would be alarmed and realise that unless US President Joe Biden changes his tune, the relationship will go from bad to worse. Verbal fights will turn into physical ones, resulting in another fall in living standards for all.
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The South China Sea dispute explained
The South China Sea dispute explained
What is in it for the US? Why would Biden choose this track – a need for a rallying call domestically? Six months into his presidency and Biden is still struggling with domestic politics, not even able to get his ambassadors approved. Meanwhile, former US president Donald Trump’s anti-China policies remain in place.
However, unlike China’s response to Australia, it has not or perhaps cannot really do much about the US except to shout back here and there. Even the sanctions it imposed in reaction to those of the US are really nothing. Why is China not willing to do more?
It appears as if there are two stages in motion: the vocal chest-thumping and perhaps a back-door deal that is in the making. The West already has its hands full with the impacts of climate change, controlling the pandemic, addressing racial discrimination and boosting economic development.
I hope that whatever back-door deal is being worked out will result in a more prosperous world for all. But perhaps that is just wishful thinking.
Suzanne Ho, Singapore
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