The United States is forced to compete with other global actors for profits due to its diminishing innovation engine. Due to this, the nation has started trade wars not only with China but also with its friends. For instance, the Washington-Brussels relationship has taken a hit due to the building trade dispute over the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, a large investment in renewable energy and transportation technology. The United States’ uneasiness over China’s technical advancement as a growing nation has increased recently, as has its antagonism toward Beijing.
Political unification in a divided Washington requires a shared foe. American politicians are split on a wide range of topics and are supported by various interest groups, yet oddly, they can agree on the “China menace” thesis. More votes may be won by American leaders the more hostile they are toward China. Biden has been criticized for being “weak on China.” American politicians, whether Democrats or Republicans, rush to portray Beijing as aggressive as the 2024 presidential elections draw near. Furthermore, blaming China has become into a quick and efficient way to divert home unhappiness over American political, economic, and social problems.
The relationship between Beijing and Washington is at jeopardy as a result of these aggressive initiatives from the American part. Stabilizing the China-U.S. relationship, one of the most significant pairs of bilateral ties, is still crucial in the post-COVID period, which calls for peace and growth. However, Washington’s anti-China initiatives have destabilized the global order.
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Although China welcomes partnership with the United States, it is resolute in upholding its national interests in the face of provocations. Washington will spend more money on restraining China than on resolving the present issues that prevent peaceful coexistence with the state.
M.Raihan Ronodipuro is a Master’s student in School of Public Policy & Management at Tsinghua University, China. He earned a Master of Law degree in International Relations from the School of International and Public Affairs at Jilin University in China. He serves as an Associate Researcher in the Department of Politics and Security at the Center for Indonesia-China Studies (CICS). He is presently a member of the International Relations Commission at the Directorate of Research and Studies for the Overseas Indonesian Students’ Association Alliance (OISAA) 2022/2023.