By Yang Chengjun
Several senior US officials have visited Asia recently.
Blinken views India as a key force of containing China.
During the visit to India last week, the US Secretary of State Blinken mentioned "human rights and democracy" several times, which piqued the Indians so much that the website Outlook India published an article, titled "Blinken Tour: Should US Lecture India On Human Rights, Democracy?", to expose the so-called "human rights and democracy" in the US. The article called Uncle Sam wily, bringing down many democratic governments and also invading independent countries such as Iraq, and described Blinken's request for India to improve its human rights situation and democracy as arrogant self-beautification.
Blinken's Indian trip was aimed to continue pushing America's return to Asia and further consolidate its dominance in the region. It plans to build an Asian version of NATO to collectively counter rising China and turn India, Japan and Australia all into the accomplices and pawns of its anti-China campaign. It also wishes for India to impose military pressure on Afghanistan after American troops pulled out.
To tighten its ties with New Delhi and make it more loyal and obedient, Washington will provide it with funds, weapons and equipment, but its arrogance and domineering attitude will make it hard for Blinken to get what he wants easily, because India needs to save face and put up some tough gesture to please its citizens.
Austin's trip to Southeast Asia reveals contradictory policy toward China
US Defense Secretary Austin arrived in Singapore on July 27 to meet with the defense minister and prime minister of the host country, during which he constantly criticized China’s policies and actions in the South China Sea.
Small as it is, Singapore is an influential force in South Asia, once being one of the Four Asian Tigers and commanding a crucial geographical location. With nearly 3 million ethnic Chinese, who account for about 75% of the national population, Singapore is associated with some Chinese culture. Therefore, it is useful and valuable in the eyes of Washington in its attempt to comprehensively contain China, economically, culturally and militarily.
Austin said America is committed to building a constructive and stable relationship with China. His words and deeds, to some degree, just reveal America's contradiction in its policy toward China. Deep at heart, Washington doesn't want to see China develop and even surpass it, but at the same time, it is fully aware that China has become such a vital force in international affairs that many things cannot be accomplished without its participation. Therefore, "building a constructive and stable relationship" is just a ploy to promote America's own global strategy.
China clarifies the principles and bottom line of China-US relations during Sherman's visit
Almost during the same period, the US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman wrapped up her trip to Tianjin, China, taking with two lists presented by the Chinese side, one detailing erroneous US policies, words and actions that should be redressed, and the other containing key individual cases of particular concern.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi underlined three basic demands as bottom lines on China-US relations. The first is that the US must not challenge, slander or even attempt to subvert the path and system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The second is that the US must not attempt to obstruct or interrupt China's development process. The third is that the US must not infringe upon China's state sovereignty, or even damage China's territorial integrity.
Chinese top diplomat made clear our principles and bottom lines. Both sides expressed the wish to forge a constructive relationship with each other, and Sherman elaborated on the US administration's stance toward. The recent meeting between senior Chinese and American officials has, in my opinion, reached the expected goals.
If the US stops making trouble, the China-US relationship will head in the right direction, which is something generally expected.
(Professor Yang Chengjun, retired researcher from the PLA Rocket Force)
Editor's note: This article is originally published on mil.ifeng.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
