My Take | US finds its enemy of the moment in China
- Americans have a laundry list of fears – from foreigners and immigrants to decline of empire and economic competitiveness – and rapid rise of China condenses all of those into just one
China is the enemy. China is not the enemy … Can’t Washington make up its mind? Sino-American relations are complicated; some people just can’t handle that. Unfortunately, there is no moral charity to be had here.
Already, hardliners in the United States – including most of the key people overseeing trade, national security, and the military and intelligence services in the Trump White House – have concluded that China is not only an enemy, but the enemy of the US.
However, that’s a role that Beijing has steadfastly refused to play.
An open letter has been sent to US President Donald Trump and members of Congress to warn against treating China this way. Signed by dozens of the most prominent figures in the scholarly, foreign policy, military and business communities in America, it argues China is not the mortal threat often portrayed in the US, but treating it as such will undermine America’s interests at home and aboard.
“We are deeply concerned about the growing deterioration in US relations with China, which we believe does not serve American or global interests,” the letter read.
“The current approach to China is fundamentally counterproductive. We do not believe Beijing is an economic enemy or an existential national security threat that must be confronted in every sphere.