Economically, China has been our trading partner in a substantial way over the last 40 years or so, and is currently our largest trading partner, with Canada and Mexico following closely behind. China has been a source of cheap labor and low production costs that has allowed us to benefit from relatively inexpensive consumer products, electronics, machinery and other goods. In terms of growing our economy China is detrimental, predatory and ultimately destructive, but until now has been viewed as essential, if we are to continue to offer the American consumer the low-priced goods to which we have become accustomed. But we must ask, “At what real cost to our economy?” I would argue at a tremendous cost, in terms of lost jobs and the knock-on effect to the communities which have lost those jobs, and perhaps most importantly and least obvious, relinquishment of our autonomy and independence, especially when it comes to production and manufacturing of mission critical technology and products.
Having said that, because China is so big, and our largest trading partner, we must remain engaged, but rapidly return the jobs we have exported to China, back to America. One cannot, however, underestimate the value of China as a customer of the U.S., and we would like to continue to view China as a valuable trading partner, but on terms that are more symmetrical and symbiotic than they have been to date.
Geographically, China is far away, and that’s a good thing, because, as discussed earlier, China is hegemonic in its ambitions and the further away from the U.S., the better. In any case, there are geographically closer opportunities for cheap labor and low production costs with similar or better quality, that are strategically more advantageous to the US, than is China. Mexico and the rest of Latin America come easily to mind.
Militarily, we must remain highly vigilant when it comes to China, and recognize that they view the competition with the U.S. as a zero-sum game, where they do not intend to lose, or be subordinate, to the U.S. Their expansionist strategy is evident in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Their Belt and Road Initiative advertises this. And it does not go unnoticed that it used to be called the One Belt One Road Initiative. Perhaps the “One” part gave away the game too early.
Much of the warfare between China and the U.S. is already taking place in the form of commerce, cyber and strategic alliances around the world. While still relatively embryonic, the threat is obvious to anyone who knows how to look for the right signs.
Politically, our core values are desperately unaligned with those of China and therefore we have no reason to engage politically along the lines that we are kindred spirits, with similar core values, ambitions and desired outcomes. That has already been discussed earlier, but it’s worth reiterating that from climate to human rights, territorial expansion to intellectual property theft and espionage, it is difficult to see where our core values and those of China have any congruency whatsoever.