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‘Cold War echoes’: United States accuses China of face-off on all fronts
- White House policy paper defines US president’s ever-hostile stand on Beijing as Trump makes a bid for re-election
- Era of playing down ideological differences to avoid derailing relations is over, analyst says
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As Beijing’s feud with Washington continues to deepen over the Covid-19 pandemic, the White House has accused China of flouting its domestic and international commitments while seeking to confront the United States ideologically, economically and geopolitically.
The attacks, contained in a 20-page policy paper released on Wednesday, are an attempt to justify President Donald Trump’s increasingly hostile stance on China, detailing threats from China under President Xi Jinping.
Observers said the document indicated that the two countries were edging closer to a new Cold War.
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Apart from China’s economic practices, military built-up, increasingly assertive diplomacy and expansive territorial claims, the document examines Beijing’s high-profile ideological campaigns to promote its authoritarian system and challenge Western values in recent months.
According to the report, the Trump administration sees “no value” in engaging with Beijing for symbolism and pageantry. “When quiet diplomacy proves futile, the United States will increase public pressure [on China],” it said.
02:06
Coronavirus pandemic creates ‘new Cold War’ as US-China relations sink to lowest point in decades
Coronavirus pandemic creates ‘new Cold War’ as US-China relations sink to lowest point in decades
The document was released just before the opening of the National People’s Congress – China’s legislature – on Friday.
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