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People hold signs at a Stop Asian Hate rally in Plano, Texas, on March 27. Photo: Xinhua
Opinion
Josh Selig
Josh Selig

With or without Donald Trump, racist rhetoric on China is making the US unsafe for Asian-Americans

  • The rise in anti-Asian violence might have started with racist depictions of Covid-19, but it has been sustained by the US government calling China aggressive
  • Showing tolerance and respect towards China will inspire tolerance and respect towards Asian-Americans, and this will make American cities safer

My wife and I recently moved to a bigger flat. We are expecting our first child in August and our old one-bedroom place was just not big enough. Our new home overlooks New York Harbour and the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of America that I have loved since I was a child.

My dad was a Jewish refugee who fled Germany during World War II, and my wife is a recent immigrant from Harbin, a lovely but cold city in northern China. I grew up believing the United States welcomed “the world’s huddled masses yearning to be free”, but these days I have my doubts.
Last month, a 65-year-old Filipino woman was walking near Times Square in New York when she was attacked by a stranger who beat and kicked her. A few onlookers, including two security guards, watched the attack and did nothing. 
This assault took place just weeks after the killings of eight people – six of them Asian women – in Atlanta, Georgia.

Although anti-Asian bias has been around in the US since our nation was founded, there has been a surge of hate crimes against Asians in the US since 2020. What is at the heart of this violence? 

It might have started with former US president Donald Trump’s racist depictions of Covid-19 as the “China virus”, but it has been perpetuated by labelling China as aggressive. 
In Japan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned against “coercion and aggression” by Beijing, saying the US would “push back if necessary”. Deputy Defence Secretary Kathleen Hicks recently said Beijing “has adopted a more coercive and aggressive approach”.

02:37

Philippines sounds alarm over 200 Chinese ships in the South China Sea

Philippines sounds alarm over 200 Chinese ships in the South China Sea
Is China actually an aggressive country? The US has hundreds of active military bases around the world, perhaps more foreign military bases than any other people, nation or empire in history. Meanwhile, China has just one military base outside China, in Djibouti.
Clearly, China is not an aggressor. In fact, historically China has been the victim of aggression by Japanese and Western forces, so much so that the Chinese refer to the 100 years ending with World War II as the “century of humiliation”. To criticise China for building up its own military in the South China Sea is like criticising a kid who has been bullied for years for taking some self-defence classes.  

If China is not actually an aggressor, why is the US pushing a narrative that it is aggressive? Why is the US encouraging other countries to jump on the anti-China bandwagon? 

I believe the answer is simple. China has had a great run during the past 50 years. It has developed its economy and tech sector and, along the way, it has lifted many Chinese out of poverty.

01:25

China-India border clash in June left four PLA troops dead and one injured, report says

China-India border clash in June left four PLA troops dead and one injured, report says
As Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told the BBC, “The US is still number one but number two is not so far behind. That is what is difficult for the US to accept.” Or, as Elon Musk recently said, “I’m very confident the future of China is going to be great.”

By presenting China as an aggressor, the US gives itself cover for taking unilateral actions to try to stem China’s rise. This demonising of China might feed nationalistic impulses, but it will not help find common ground or build the required trust to ensure China and the US can peacefully coexist.

By contrast, China is non-confrontational. As State Councillor Yang Jiechi said after the talks in Anchorage, Alaska, “The two sides should follow the policy of ‘no conflict’ to guide our path towards a healthy and stable trajectory moving forward.”
Although President Joe Biden has spoken eloquently in condemning violence against Asians, the language of the US government still emphasises Chinese aggression. Deliberately or not, this encourages violence against Asians. 

China-bashing in any form on Capitol Hill inspires actual Asian-American bashing in our streets. 

02:38

Global brands face backlash in China for rejecting Xinjiang cotton

Global brands face backlash in China for rejecting Xinjiang cotton

Conversely, showing tolerance and respect towards China will inspire tolerance and respect towards Asian-Americans, and this will make our cities safer. 

These days, my wife doesn’t leave our flat alone. We’re concerned about her safety, as is her family in Harbin. Our daughter is expected in August, and we wonder if she will be welcomed in the US.

I never dreamed I would have to think about such things living in New York City, but when I look out of our window each day, I see my beloved Statue of Liberty and I worry.

Josh Selig is the Emmy Award-winning creator and executive producer of many educational preschool TV series including Wonder Pets, 3rd & Bird, Small Potatoes and P. King Duckling

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