The United States of America and China have been locking horns for very long. Whether it is regional and global trade hegemony, or the cybersecurity threat looming over Washington emanating from Beijing, both countries have tried their best to stand tall.
When Chinese President Xi Jinping met his US counterpart, President Donald Trump in November 2017, the meeting signalled at the revival of their ties. However, it is too soon to opine if the two countries will continue with this relationship or another diplomatic failure will eclipse the US-China ties.
Over the years, China’s rise as an economic power has been noteworthy with the US showing a keen interest in how China plans to move forward — economically and politically. Despite US-China tension, both countries have enjoyed a political relationship that is cooperative and an economy that is interdependent.
However, while looking at the recent history of the two countries, both China and the US look poised to go big on the diplomatic and political scene. The US wants to reclaim its economic and political might which it lost by engaging in various regional wars and skirmishes during the last few decades while China wants to keep adding fuel in its GDP to overtake the US economy.
Recently, President Trump has shown a certain level of softness towards China. This change in behaviour came after North Korea remained adamant at showing off its nuclear arsenal to destabilise the region and become a threat to Washington’s ally, South Korea. The North Korean threat has compelled the US to restore its ties with China
During the recent 19th CPC Congress, President Xi Jinping presented China’s plans which were ‘to become a moderately prosperous country’ and ‘a fully modern economy and society by 2035.’ He also said that China will be a global leader of composite national strength and international influence by 2050. China’s way forward, however, also includes Pakistan since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is progressing in full swing. Geographically structured across six corridors spread over two continents with seven countries comprising this strategic plan, one section of CPEC is the One Belt, One Road Initiative.
Even though CPEC is moving as planned, the US will keep a close eye on the ever-increasing regional, diplomatic and political closeness Pakistan and China enjoy. Now that President Trump has been chanting ‘Make American Great Again’, Washington’s policies of trade might contradict with that of China. The US has always considered its right to govern major trade routes and to influence the economies of the third world countries. The CPEC will certainly dilute US influence in South Asia and Central Asia.
However, recently, President Trump has shown a certain level of softness towards China. This change in behaviour came after North Korea remained adamant at showing off its nuclear arsenal to destabilise the region and become a threat to Washington’s ally, South Korea. The North Korean threat has compelled the US to restore its ties with China. However, the proximity of Pakistan and China will always create a certain level of animosity between China and the US.
Moreover, the presence of India in the One Belt One Road Initiative as part of the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh-India Corridor, running from Southern China to Myanmar, will concern Pakistan, for Islamabad and New Delhi have seldom remained on the same page. The US, however, has been garnering friendly ties with India and could have a long-term plan to counter China’s growing influence in South Asia and Asia.
Comparing the US and China in terms of economy, the US dollar is still the world’s key currency and Washington still controls global financial markets. However, China has been investing billions of dollars in the One Belt One Road Initiative while more than 300 million Chinese rising from poverty will add fuel to China’s economy. On the diplomatic front, China is creating alliances with Russia which may, to some extent, keep Washington cautious of being the odd one out.
The US, on the other hand, has entered into the next phase of Cold War with Russia while it is still reeling from the effects of engaging its military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Moreover, on the political front, while the US political system remains corrupt and screwed, especially after President Trump’s rise to power, it has tattered the electoral system created by America’s forefathers to prevent any candidate unfit for the presidency from rising to the echelons of power. Political analysts opine that China’s socialist democracy is the new political system while the US political system has shown its weak points. The US will surely exercise its military and political influence to keep its political system more powerful than the one China is using.
China may not overtake the US in terms of economic might or financial supremacy, it is, however, on the path towards achieving its goals and Washington will need to take measures to keep at par with Beijing’s diplomatic and economic ambitions.
The writer is a columnist and an author
Published in Daily Times, November 20th 2017.