Trade, human rights and the unravelling of the China-US relationship

While Beijing and Washington were inching closer on tariffs, they were swiftly moving apart over Xinjiang and Hong Kong

The developments suggest the two countries are entering a dangerous period, with some moves reminiscent of the cold war, observers say

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Despite the progress on trade negotiations over the 15-month trade war, the US-China relations are rapidly unravelling. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:30am, 20 Oct 2019Updated: 10:26pm, 20 Oct 2019

For a moment the focus was on progress. Top Chinese and US trade officials ended their meetings in Washington just over a week ago with an interim agreement to postpone increases in US tariffs on Chinese goods.

But despite the progress on trade war negotiations, US-China relations are rapidly unravelling and entering an intense and dangerous period, with escalating disputes in relation to human rights concerns over Hong Kong and Muslims in Xinjiang.

Observers from both countries have warned that bilateral ties are set on a collision course over a variety of conflicted fronts that go far beyond trade frictions.

Over the past two weeks, the US government and lawmakers have repeatedly used human rights issues to take aim at China.

On October 8, the US State and Commerce departments imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials, a day after they blacklisted eight technology giants over their involvement in Beijing’s “brutal suppression” of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

Then on Tuesday, as mass anti-government protests in Hong Kong stretch into a fifth month, the US House of Representatives threw its weight behind the protesters, approving unanimously the landmark Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.