Introduction
Fostering institutions, not breaking them provides a window of international peace and harmony. The US-China relations are being touted as the rise of a second Cold War with China replacing the erstwhile Soviet Union. In reality, however, this is barely a case and the primary reason for this change is the development the world has undergone since the end of the Soviet Union. The deterioration of relations between the countries is a consequence of actions that have been fueled by ideas and motives far beyond political sanity. The deterioration of relations cannot be attributed to one of the two countries completely and the world bears certain responsibility in this deterioration as well. The actions from both the countries seem far beyond repair at this moment, yet reaching a negotiated settlement over an ideology and modus operandi in the anarchic international sphere can be deemed possible. This possibility is because of the political and economic size that these countries hold and even their relations with the quickly upcoming multipolar world. Multilateralism is indeed a double-edged sword in the content of cause-effect determination of the currently deteriorating US-China relations.
Ideological incorrectness with respect to the 21st century
People’s Republic of China and the United States of America, both the countries seem to play the political game in a bizarre manner that tempts certain questions. Is it political miscalculation, or a well-concocted strategy to change the game from its natural course? The first case showcases President Trump and President Xi as two uniquely aggressive actors who are driven by the forces of populism and wish to achieve short term victories in order to get reelected in the land of the free and stay in control of the Communist Party respectively. The pursuit of short term populist driven victories opens up scope for a long term political blunder that is clearly underway in case of US-China relations. Trump’s rhetoric of IP theft and sabotage of supply chains against China did get the middle-class white American wrapped around his finger. While Xi’s handling of the rhetoric with action in the neighboring areas of China has gained him immense popularity in the Communist Party of China. However, the question of a probable political blunder continues to be shrouded by the lack of evidence and the presence of a different theory.
Following the Cold War, the world saw the rise of a unipolar world order with the United States at its helm and the multilateral world order was still taking turtle steps towards the formation. The changing priorities of the United States government in the period that followed the Bush administration seem to have indicated to China that the world could be up for grabs, especially with the use of corrupt and coercive tactics such as the Cheque Book Diplomacy. While the United States maintained its policy of helping the ones in the right and following the ideal means, China took the path of corruption for making inroads into the volatile regions of developing a world where accountability and social welfare are unknown to the ones in power. The overly idealistic United States and unscrupulous China both created a rift in the world order that was smoothly changing into a multipolar polar one such that democratization is established in the anarchic international relations platform while equitability through better accountability structures and a notion of good faith are established amongst the nations.
However, the possibility of this situation not being an American political miscalculation cannot be eliminated entirely. The United States had been at the peak of its power for a decade and half after the fall of the Soviet Union, but the changing world order could not ensure the place as the game of multipolarity and multilateralism is unknown to the hegemonic roots of the United States that the world is aware of. The end of the Cold War showed that the United States was not a one pony show after all and that they hold the ability to succeed in the game of bipolar world politics. This surge in Trump’s Anti-China rhetoric and the emphasis on America First policy of the Trump administration, the question of whether Trump’s USA is looking for another Cold War is imperative and needs to be voiced out. Trump’s ambition of putting America back in the driver seat could have led him to attempt taking the world back to the Cold War era, which can be deemed simpler, but dangerous in comparison to the multipolar world of today. Fighting a Cold War could be justified, but is creating one justified too?
Negotiated settlement over ideology and modus operandi
The most recent move of closing down embassies shows us glimpses from the Cold War era, and the world is not prepared to go back now. The disagreements over ideologies and the respective modus operandi has been made increasingly clear by both the United States and China. However, reaching a negotiated settlement is extremely important for the world today. If not for reaching an immediate settlement, taking steps in that direction is extremely important. Actions of neither the United States nor China are towards building a consensus that could pave the way for long term prosperity. US Secretary of State, along with US Attorney General, US National Security Advisor, and the FBI Director made “a series of China speeches” in the words of Secretary Pompeo, but these speeches were less on the lines of information dissemination and more inclined towards generating a sense of animosity towards China in the hearts and minds of people. His speech, “Communist China and the Free World” is a remnant of how Trump’s America wants to change this fight over ideological differences and modus operandi into a full-fledged knife fight, and the one in which the world hurts as collateral damage.
With the US elections right around the block and the quickly dipping approval ratings along with chances of Trump’s return, usage of this disagreement with China as a reelection strategy will not be surprising at all. The only hope is that the Americans see through the smokescreen of populism and rhetoric that Trump spews and elect a President who would be determined to fix the problems with American Foreign Policy while reforming the American values which were tarnished by the Trump administration.
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