China Daily Editorial
The letter sent to US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Tuesday by 10 Republican senators, urging her to further tighten technology exports to China and strengthen the screening of investment from China, has exposed how eager these China-bashers are to derail Sino-US relations.
Led by Tom Cotton, the signatories include Marco Rubio, John Cornyn, Ben Sasse, Rick Scott and Todd Young, who have all served as masterminds behind various acts, bills and laws targeting China since the previous Donald Trump administration.
The letter points to the way in which the attention of the US and its allies has been drawn to issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan, all China’s internal affairs, in recent years. It is the ease with which these lawmakers can transform their views into the international agenda that deserves attention, in the US and beyond.
No factual basis required
Previously, they would have needed to quote some fabricated reports, research or testimonies from witnesses, invariably paid by the US governments, in order to peddle the bills they proposed. At present, however, as the joint letter indicates, it requires no factual basis for them to target China.
All it takes for them to block the normal economic and trade exchanges between the world’s two largest economies is to pressure the government on the pretext of “national security”.
The change of White House occupant has not forced them into dormancy, but instead provided them with a bigger stage – thanks to the easing of tensions between the US and the European countries – to reinforce the image they are fabricating of a despicable China intent on ruling the world.
That the Cold War is now a distant memory to most people means they are able to tap its playbook without the tactics appearing too hoary.
Nevertheless, the clock cannot be wound back, and their tactics, no matter how successful they may have been in the past, are divorced from the realities of the modern world.
Although their tricks may work for some for a while, they will not stand the test of the times, as China’s development has benefited the whole world, as much as vice versa. While they may hope to persuade others that they have right on their side, their ideological prejudices go against the grain of the world today.
Like firing a blunderbuss
The restrictions the US has imposed on the supplies of chips to Chinese companies and their affiliates around the world have been like firing a blunderbuss, as they have disturbed the supply chains of many industries, and affected the profits and research and development activities of US companies.
That China’s trade with all its major trade partners, including the European Union, the US and Japan, has kept growing robustly despite the headwinds these China-haters keep summoning, shows the indivisibility of the global economy and market.
It is these China hawks who can so easily manipulate the state machinery of the US that are a threat to the world.
– Courtesy China Daily
* Subheadings by The Macau Post Daily
