There is a growing bipartisan consensus in the US：that China has taken advantage of the US for far too long； that China has overtaken， or will soon overtake， the US in areas of advanced technology， such as artificial
intelligence and some aspects of military technology， through underhand means； that instead of opening up and becoming more like the US， China has regressed in terms of political openness， and hence represents a challenge to American values and leadership.
Americans now talk openly of containing China， and to do so soon before it is too late， the way they used to talk about the USSR and the Soviet bloc. This negative view of China has permeated the US establishment. It is not confined to the White House or the Administration， but is shared widely by Congress， the military， the media， academics and NGOs too. Those inclined to a more positive view of China have been marginalised.
Even US business sentiment towards China has soured. American businesses used to be the strongest supporters of China， because they
benefited directly from China’s growth and economic opportunities. They had strongly advocated China’s accession to the WTO. When protectionist or nativist sentiments built up in the US， they were a balancing voice that counselled good relations with China.
Now， that goodwill has all but evaporated. US businesses feel let down that China has not adjusted its policies on trade and investments， and in fact systematically disadvantages foreign businesses operating in China， while Chinese businesses operate uninhibited in the US. They want greater access to the China market， and not just to use China for their global supply chains. Many European businesses feel the same. This loss of goodwill on the part of an important constituency is a serious problem for China， which the
Chinese have not fully appreciated or dealt with. |
