Commentary
BEIJING – Certain politicians in the United States have recently escalated their rhetoric advocating an anti-China alliance. They have seemingly ignored how a similar strategic mistake was made 70 years ago: overestimating their ability to counter China and underestimating China's determination to safeguard its core interests.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been traveling around the world, selling his anti-China ideas and denigrating China's normal cooperation with other countries. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Tuesday revealed a new initiative to strengthen and expand US alliances with "like-minded democracies" to encircle China. White House national security official Robert O'Brien on Wednesday slandered China by casting it as a rival seeking to "monopolize every industry" of the 21st century.
These politicians try to build an alliance that covers every front, from economic and technological spheres to ideology and diplomacy. But if Washington really believes it can mobilize everything and force China to surrender to power politics and the threat of hegemony, it is entirely incorrect.
The US attempt to isolate China will not succeed. China is a peaceful country that believes in common development. It has established partnerships with 112 nations and international organizations. Its development has brought opportunities to many other countries, including the US itself. No sober-minded government would sacrifice its development interests by taking these US politicians'anti-China sentiment on board.
The US attempt to build China into an adversary is a fundamental, strategic miscalculation. Instead of focusing on internal problems, recovering its economy from the fallout of COVID-19 and further releasing its development vitality, the US administration is funneling its strategic resources in the wrong direction. Its China policy is fraught with emotion, whims and McCarthyist bigotry.
Not an enemy of the US
China is not the enemy of the United States. It does not intend to challenge, replace or confront the United States. What China cares about is improving its people's livelihoods, realizing national rejuvenation and maintaining global peace and stability. To those ends, China has maintained a stable and consistent policy to develop China-US relations featuring non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
China is also prepared for possible bumps and storms ahead. As an independent sovereign country, China has every right to uphold its sovereignty, security and development interests, safeguard achievements made through the hard work of the Chinese people, and reject any bullying or injustice imposed on it.
Seventy years ago, the Chinese People's Volunteers entered the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, aiming to safeguard peace and resist aggression. They fought for two years and nine months until victory was won. It was a victory for justice,for peace, and for the people. The spirit forged during the war will inspire China to overcome all difficulties and obstacles, and to prevail over all enemies.
China today is much stronger than it was 70 years ago and has the full confidence and capability to tackle any challenge ahead.
Instigating confrontation or division goes against the trend of the times.China hardliners in the US are now stoking new division and advocating bloc rivalry. Resorting to old geopolitical tricks to resolve problems in the age of globalization is in blatant contempt of human progress and will only lead to disgrace and failure. – Xinhua
