Opinion | US is so bent on resisting China’s rise, it has ignored its own decline
- American rhetoric about the threat of China and attempts to counter its power are both bewildering and frustrating for ordinary Chinese
- A population that once looked up to the US now looks on aghast at the violence perpetuated both within and outside its borders
The US’ perception that China is a threat runs contrary to empirical evidence, is mired in ossified ideological thinking and is unacceptable to Chinese academia. To see just where potential evil lies, here are the facts.
China’s managed economy wasn’t ruptured by a financial crisis, caused by sheer greed and lack of oversight. Chinese citizens don’t have to arm themselves with firearms, and most of China’s local constabulary don’t even carry guns.
The US government’s never-ending threats, and the outrageous depiction of socialism by American politicians, leaves Chinese people feeling confused and even angry.
In many ways, the US is a beneficiary of China’s bounty and struggle. US consumers save hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars each year buying Chinese products and commodities. The flow of China-made consumer goods to the United States isn’t about to change even as more Chinese companies build plants in America, and US companies grab a greater share of the Chinese market