China is a country with one-fifth of the world's population, the second-largest economy globally, a government that relies on a market-driven economy, and an authoritarian political system with a single-party rule. It possesses a significant number of nuclear weapons for deterrence, has extensive systems for controlling its citizens, operates re-education camps, and is led by a 'lifetime leader' in Xi Jinping. Is such a country a threat to the United States?

           On July 3, the Washington Post published an open letter from leading scholars, former diplomats, and prominent business leaders in the U.S. addressed to President Donald Trump and members of Congress. Notable signatories include Taylor Fravel from MIT, Stapleton Roy, former U.S. Ambassador to China, Susan A. Thornton from Yale University, and Ezra Vogel and Joseph Nye from Harvard, among others.

The open letter states that all signatories come from the academic, foreign policy, military, and business communities in the U.S. Many have careers related to the Asia region and are concerned about the deteriorating relationship between the U.S. and China. They believe this trend does not serve the interests of the U.S. or the world.

Seven Key Proposals

           The open letter outlines the signatories' proposals regarding their views on China, the issues arising from the current U.S. approach to China, and policies that would yield better outcomes.

           (1) China's problematic behavior over the past year poses a serious challenge to the rest of the world — such as increased domestic repression, greater state control over private businesses, failure to adhere to trade commitments, and more aggressive foreign policies. These challenges require robust and effective countermeasures from the U.S. However, the current U.S. government's approach to China has had the opposite effect of what it intended.

           (2) We do not believe that China is an economic enemy or a threat to U.S. security that necessitates a confrontational approach in every domain. We do not believe that China is a monolithic entity or that the views of its leaders are set in stone. While China's rapid economic and military growth has led to a more assertive international role, many Chinese officials and leaders recognize that genuine cooperation with the West, characterized by moderation and practical outcomes, serves China's own interests. The U.S. policy that is adversarial towards China undermines the position of Chinese leaders who hold such views, while empowering nationalists. A balanced policy between competition and cooperation would strengthen those Chinese leaders who seek a constructive role for China in global affairs.

           (3) The U.S. efforts to treat China as an enemy and to decouple its economy from the global economy will damage the U.S.'s role and reputation on the international stage and undermine the economic interests of all countries worldwide. U.S. opposition will not be able to halt China's ongoing economic expansion or the increasing market share of Chinese companies, nor China's growing role in global affairs. Moreover, the U.S. cannot contain China's rise without incurring its own damage. If the U.S. pressures its allies to treat China as an economic and political enemy, it will weaken its relationships with those allies and ultimately isolate itself rather than isolating China.

           (4) The fear that China will rise to become the world's leader instead of the U.S. is overstated — most countries in the world do not benefit from such an outcome, and it remains unclear whether China itself sees this goal as necessary or achievable. Furthermore, a government that restricts information and opportunities for its own people and brutally represses minorities cannot expect significant international support or succeed in attracting talent from around the world. The best response from the U.S. to these issues is to collaborate with allies to create a more prosperous and open world, providing China with opportunities for engagement. Efforts to isolate China will only weaken its desire to develop into a more generous and tolerant society.

           (5) Although China aims to become a military superpower by the mid-21st century, it faces significant challenges in establishing itself as a military power globally — China's rising military capabilities have eroded the long-standing military leadership of the U.S. in the Western Pacific. The best way to address this is not through endless arms competition focused on offensive and deep-strike capabilities or by setting impossible goals to maintain U.S. leadership far beyond China's borders. The best policy is to work with allied countries to maintain deterrent military measures, emphasizing self-defense, area denial capabilities, and the ability to prevent attacks on U.S. territory and that of its allies, while also strengthening crisis management mechanisms with China.

           (6) China seeks to undermine the role of Western democratic values in the global order, but it does not aim to overturn the economic and other aspects of the global order that it has benefited from for decades. In fact, China's participation in the international system is crucial for the survival of that system, and effective measures to address common challenges, such as climate change, are necessary. The U.S. should encourage China to engage in a reformed global system where emerging powers have a greater voice. Approaching China from a zero-sum perspective, where one side's gain means the other's loss, will only promote a Chinese stance that either withdraws from the existing system or supports the creation of a fragmented world order, which does not serve the interests of Western nations.

           (7) In summary, a successful U.S. policy towards China must focus on building alliances with other countries to support economic and security goals — policies must be based on a realistic assessment of China's interests, goals, and behavior. Having a balanced and equitable policy from the U.S. and its allies, and building U.S. capabilities as a model for other countries, will ultimately serve the best interests of the U.S. by restoring effective competitiveness in a changing world, and by working with other countries and international organizations rather than employing policies that obstruct or isolate China's engagement with the world.

The open letter concludes that the signatories wish to make it clear that an adversarial stance towards China is not a policy of 'Washington Consensus.'

Thank you for the information from thaipublica.org