In 2015, there was pitch high feverish allegations against China on industrial and military espionage and cyber attacks and currency issues by Western media and American public figures. Then President XI Jinping came to United States. And suddenly all such allegations evaporated. He stood very tall that day on the White House steps facing the Western Press Corps and they had no issues with China.
Also America under President Obama, did her best to derail AIIB and the Currency Basket but in the end even her European allies jumped on the AIIB wagon whilst some countries adopted Chinese yuan for trading. And the silk route is taking shape despite America, Japan and India putting up obstructions.
This time President Trump had been attacking China on every issue from trade to currency manipulation, North Korea nuclear tests, the One China policy and South China venture. Then President XI met President Trump on his home turf and in that instant Trump turned around 180 degrees. China is not manipulating her currency and China is doing all in her power to resolve situations regarding North Korea. There was no public mention of South China Sea.
It is said that President Trump informed President XI Jinping over dessert that America was firing missiles at Syria at that very moment. But if one considers the later decision of China to abstain rather than side as usual with Russia on the Syrian gas condemnation vote at UN, actually it is possible that President Trump gave the go ahead to fire the missiles only after confirming over the course of that same dinner that President XI Jinping was with him on the Syrian gas attack.
Now China has increased her military presence near China- North Korea border and also China has refused to buy more coals from North Korea on which North Korea depend for hard currency income. But neither of the two developments can be interpreted as China fixing North Korea. The increase in troop numbers by 150,000 can work both ways: as deterrent to North Korea or as bolstering North Korea in case of American attack. And as for turning back coal shipments, North Korea can be helped by simply giving the hard currency without buying their coal.
One thing is for sure, China will never accept American hegemony over North Korea. During 1950s , China was too weak to prevent South Korea following under American umbrella. Not now. And it seems that America has been made to understand the red line of China for Korean Peninsula and possibly also the South China Sea. The redline on One China Policy had already been delivered much earlier and publicly accepted by the Trump Washington.
President XI Jinping came through an incredible journey of personal and political life to reach at the helm of Chinese leadership. Therefore it is of no surprise that each time he has been challenged or tested by other nations and leaders, he comes out into the territory of the enemy and takes away the banner.
Great article.
ReplyDeleteI just want to point out that if international law and conventions are to followed (first claim trumps proximity), China has much more claim than the rest of the disputed parties. As American diplomat Chas Freeman noted, "The Filipino and Malaysian cases are politically potent but legally weak."
http://chasfreeman.net/diplomacy-on-the-rocks-china-and-other-claimants-in-the-south-china-sea/
But despite these, China has shown great restraint.
http://thediplomat.com/2015/06/who-is-the-biggest-aggressor-in-the-south-china-sea/
Western press always want to portray China as some kind of land grabbing hegemon when in fact the reverse is true. Here is a scholarly study of China border settlement:
http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/i8782.html