Chen Weihua
[dropcap]U[/dropcap]S still has a large plank in its eyeIn Debating China, a collection of conversations between Chinese and US scholars on relations between China and the United States, the different views expressed by both sides are often enlightening.
However, the book launch in Washington on Tuesday allowed no debate. It was a solo performance by Evan Medeiros, the White House senior director for Asian affairs. There was not even the usual question and answer session.Throughout his 40-minute speech, Medeiros failed to mention any of China’s great achievements, its contribution to the world, or things that benefit the US or which the US can learn from. Instead, he laid all the blame for the frictions in their relations on China. In everything, from the regional tensions in Asia and human rights to the economy and cyber security, China was at fault.
It is true that China, as a developing nation, can improve in many regards. But it is sad to see only the usual fingerpointing from the US, instead of some self-reflection and self-criticism. For example, Medeiros should acknowledge the human rights abuses at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, the military drones strikes which have killed many civilians and caused terror among the local populations, or its spying on people all over the world, including their leaders.
Just as Medeiros feels uncomfortable that some Chinese see the US as trying to contain China, he should also feel disconcerted that many in the US see every move China makes as a threat.
And Medeiros, a former China specialist at the Rand Corporation, deserves some response after he blamed Chinese news media for promoting a negative image of the United States.
While news media all over the world tend to focus on negative news, reality tells us that the US news media has been engaged in portraying a negative image of China on a much larger scale, given its disproportionate size and global influence, not to mention the China-bashing that was dished up during the US presidential election.
That, to borrow Medeiros’ words, has constrained the political space of US leaders to grow cooperation with China.
A Jan 27 Pew Center report shows that more than two-thirds of the public in the US do not trust China and two-thirds also think China is a competitor of the US. That must have a lot to do with the promotion of the negative image by the US media and politicians.
Medeiros had three messages for the Chinese leaders. He said the US is strong and gaining strength at home. What he implied is that the Chinese believe the US is on the decline. While the US’ relative decline due to the rise of the rest is a fact known to all, most Chinese still think their nation will have a long way to catch up with the US.
In fact, it is the US public that has shown the lowest level of economic confidence since December, according to a Gallup poll released on Tuesday, just hours before Medeiros speech.
Medeiros also wanted to remind Chinese leaders that the US is an incumbent power in East Asia. “In another word, we’ve been in Asia for over 60 years and we’re going to be there for another 60 years and even longer afterwards,” he said, clearly forgetting that China has been in Asia long before the US was even born and certainly will be in Asia as long as the planet exists. Chinese leaders have repeatedly said that the Pacific is big enough to accommodate both China and the US.
Medeiros’ third message was that China and the US have far more to gain from working together to solve regional and global problems than trying to do it on their own, or from competing from each other for power and influence in Asia Pacific.
No one can argue with that. For China, such a win-win mindset has been ingrained in its population in the past 35 years of reform and opening-up.
The US, which is used to lecturing others, should do as much criticism as self-criticism, words that Medeiros should understand well as a China specialist.
The author, based in Washington DC, is deputy editor of China Daily USA.
Courtesy: China Daily
