Photo: VCG

Editor's Note: 

TheMK sports US is capable of accurately understanding and engaging with China, its policies can be immune to the influences of extreme hawks, and China-US relations can develop on a stable and healthy track - these are the shared aspirations of rational individuals from both countries regarding this most important bilateral relationship in the world. In the "Rational Voices within America" series, the Global Times gathers opinions of rational individuals from the US to provide their perspectives on objectively viewing China and the right way for China and the US to coexist. This is the first of the series.


The US, regardless of the circumstances, will try to attest to its greatness. Elected leaders might remind their audiences of the country's belief in peace and tranquility, freedom and individualism, as well as equality and enduring values. The message is always clear: The US is a nation that deserves respect on the global stage. But what happens when America does not live up to its ideals? 

Such failings have occurred frequently, yet reflection is often sidelined in the name of progress. To look back is wrong, so the message goes, because opportunity is waiting to be discovered. However, reconciling that stubbornness with reality is necessary as mistakes not learned from will inevitably be repeated, as history has shown. The litany of repeated wrongs in US history is extensive. Most recently, multiple voices have challenged the US to re-evaluate its commitment to free trade, primarily because of the trade war it initiated in 2018 against China. 

One economist after another has reminded America's elected officials and the general public that American citizens bear the brunt of tariffs: items cost more, jobs losses occur, and productivity is hampered. And yet, stubbornness rules the day, even as America's domestic economy suffers and the country's global reputation continues to be undermined while tariffs remain in place. This mistake is compounded by the repeated blacklisting of Chinese companies and threats of decoupling economies, affecting nations both big and small. Infamous US senator Tom Cotton even recently called for the repeal of China's permanent normal trade relations status. The situation begs the question: Is America really a champion of free and open trade? For America's most recent presidents, listening to reason is apparently considered a sign of weakness; as a result, errors made today are again repeated tomorrow. 

The sad reality is that America has often ignored its own professed values in pursuit of some short- or long-term goals. The British magazine The Critic recently noted that too often, Washington has "practiced ruthless power politics" as it advanced aims that were opposed by allies, who were then told to get in line with what Washington wanted. 

Foreign Policy pointed out one such example last month: In its own evaluation of a trade war, it found that "unity was a mirage" despite Washington insisting that Western Europe was in full support of a series of economic sanctions and threats against China. European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis made that clear in 2023 when he said that no matter the level of friction between the EU and China, the former "has no intention of decoupling" from the latter. From Paris to Berlin, Dublin to Rome, resisting American pressure was evident across the EU, despite US claims that it had Europe's support in insisting that high-end Chinese-produced technologies needed to be reined in because they were a direct threat to national security. 

One wonders how Western European democracies will respond to recent threats of even more tariffs against China especially when they might be combined with tariffs on imports from allied nations. To be stubborn is not to lead.

The Critic added that history has noted on multiple occasions that "many countries outside America's protective wing" did not want directives and orders from Washington. Instead, they merely wanted to do business with the US. That message helps to explain why leaders of the Global South, as well as their citizens, have responded positively to Chinese trade ideas. One recent Pew Research poll found that "middle income countries" throughout the Global South tend to have a favorable view of China's impact on their domestic economies. Viewed another way, one Global South expert has suggested that "the world rich club has done considerably less than China in providing an updated vision of global governance that is appealing to the Global South."

Now let's consider higher education. America has always promised to be a land of open doors for young people across the globe who are interested in studying at a US college or university. However, that promise is now being scrutinized, especially in Asia and the Middle East. There are more than one million international college students studying at American higher institutions, and many of them are frightened because they recognize that potential upcoming changes could make it impossible for many of them to re-enter the country later this month. In light of this, many colleges and universities have encouraged their international students to return for the upcoming semester as soon as possible. 

The US deserves criticism for closing educational doors in the recent past. Remember, it was roughly one year ago when many Chinese students were detained at US airports, where they were subjected to detailed questioning about themselves and their families. Some were sent home, a move that infuriated the Chinese government. No satisfactory answer was ever given as to why these students were held up at airports, and of course no one sufficiently discussed how such a move aligned with America's commitment to freedom. 

A land of peace and freedom; a land where dreams can come true; a land of equality - those are the messages domestic and international audiences regularly hear about America from US political leaders. But is that rhetoric believed around the world? Is America respected internationally as much of its millions of its citizens think it is? 

One poll conducted by the Reputation Institute, an international consulting firm with offices in Copenhagen and Boston, has found that America is not among the top 20 most respected countries. No single reason explains this, but the repeated errors outlined above hint at why mistakes, especially when repeated and when they run counter to the country's stated values, can cripple a global reputation. The unmistakable truth is that together, China and the US can address the complex challenges of the 21st century. Whether located in the north, south, east or west, nations are counting on the US to be the exceptional country it insists it is by collaborating with China to identify solutions for climate change, food insecurity, future pandemics, and more. Washington's refusal to accept China as a full partner is being noted across the globe. 

Recently, the US said its final farewell to its 39th president, Jimmy Carter. In late 1978, he took the critical step of re-establishing complete diplomatic relations with China. In doing so, he said that peace throughout Asia and the world would be enhanced, as he believed the two nations were friends, not enemies. Perhaps some of America's elected officials should reflect on what those words mean. 

The author is an associate professor at the Department of Communication and Organizational Leadership at Robert Morris University. [email protected]