The US-China relationship is mutually beneficial, so drop the paranoia and embrace the George H.W. Bush style

Throughout his amazing life, my father played important roles in shaping US policy towards China. He often stated that the US-China relationship was the most important bilateral relationship in the world. He had deep understanding of the cultural, political and economic complexities vital to normalising ties. So my views are largely shaped by my father’s views, but they are also shaped by over 140 trips to China over the past 44 years.

My first trip to China was in 1975 when my father was the “bicycling ambassador” representing the US in Beijing. This was a time towards the end of the Cultural Revolution where there were very few personal liberties, China was pretty much closed off to the West. I remember going with my family to the zoo to see the pandas or to the Forbidden City only to notice that we were being followed by throngs of people curious to see Westerners. I’ve been back many times and have witnessed China’s rise first-hand.

At the core of our American value system is individual freedom. We know that once you have enjoyed freedom, there is no giving it back. And as a freedom-loving American, I have marvelled that over the past 44 years there has been an unprecedented freedom movement in China where more people have gained more freedom in the shortest period of time in all of human history.

The freedom to choose where to live, who to marry, what career to pursue. The freedom to travel abroad, to find the best education anywhere in the world, to enjoy a better quality of life. Those freedoms and many more were unimaginable 44 years ago.

Globalisation, and specifically our connectivity to China, has contributed to a sustained growth in the US economy, has led to full employment and has benefited consumers with lower-cost, high-quality goods.