‘Demonising’ China could backfire on US in Southeast Asia, report warns
- Report says White House’s approach may not work when Asean member states seek constructive relationships with both sides
- Brookings Institution warns current stance risks ‘playing into China’s hands’ by creating impression US wants to foment a new cold war
Donald Trump’s administration should stop “demonising” China’s actions in Southeast Asia because forcing countries in the region to choose between Beijing and Washington could backfire, a US think tank has suggested.
Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have largely been “like-minded” in resisting American pressure to distance themselves from China and prefer to keep a constructive relationship with both sides, a report from the Washington-based Brookings Institution argued.
“The administration’s constant demonisation of China isn’t serving US interests: it creates … the impression that Washington is fomenting a new cold war that could marginalise Washington and play into Chinese hands,” said the report.
It compared the current economic strength of the two countries in the region, saying that the US is the top foreign direct investor and important security contributor, while China is the No 1 trading partner and dominant economic driving power.
It also argued that the Trump administration’s current China policy of pushing for a broader economic decoupling was risky and “the nightmare scenario for Asean countries”.
The report also pointed out that China’s fast-growing economic influence has surpassed the US in many areas – especially in infrastructure thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, which the White House has criticised for being “aggressive and predatory” and a potential “debt trap” to participating nations.