The string of recent actions taken by the United States against China are aimed at stoking ideological confrontation and reviving the Cold War in the 21st century. It feels like the specter of McCarthyism is resurfacing in the United States. In the 1950s when the United States was gripped by anti-communist hysteria, tens of thousands of people from the Chinese community there were suspected as "spies." Over 20 million people had to go through "screening."

Today, the witch hunt among Chinese scientists as well as arbitrary harassment and willful detainment of Chinese students in the United States are so reminiscent of the dark era of McCarthyism. Scientists, professors and scholars of Chinese descent in the United States and those Americans who support cooperation with China are too scared to speak up. None of them feels safe anymore. They may be interrogated, searched, or even arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation anytime. Taking action on the basis of race and ideology is very dangerous. People should not forget that Adolf Hitler and fascism rose from suppressing communism and persecuting the Jews. We must take a warning from these lessons.

Stoking division

In fact, through their anti-communism craziness and the hyping up of the so-called "red menace," the U.S. politicians are attempting to define China-U.S. relations with ideological confrontation and cover up their real strategic agenda to contain China, put together a so-called "coalition of free democracies," and build a clique against China. But they seem to still live in the past and have forgotten that the Cold War has long gone, and that mankind is already in the age of globalization in the 21st century. Other than one or two U.S. henchmen, the overwhelming majority of countries refuse to be hijacked by the U.S. onto its chariot. All they think about is how to work together to defeat the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), save lives, and revive the economy. They have no interest in, and even resent, ideological confrontation and a "new Cold War."

The United States is stoking division and confrontation, attacking dissenting views, and creating disorder around the world. It has caused predicament for international institutions including the UN, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and put global governance and international cooperation agenda in jeopardy. Its sole aim is to install a uni-polar world where the United States lords it over all others, where globalization becomes "Americanization," and where global governance gives way to U.S. hegemony. The U.S. attempt contravenes the trend of our times and the will of the people. It is destined to fail.

The hostile remarks on the Communist Party of China (CPC) by some U.S. politicians only expose their ignorance of China and the Party. Many U.S. scholars have expressed the view recently that under the CPC leadership, the Chinese Government has boosted the economy and responded promptly to people's needs, and that the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people support the CPC and feel proud of their country. As recent polls conducted by multiple U.S. institutions have shown, the approval rating for the CPC among the Chinese people is as high as 95 percent. Having such a high level of popular support is very rare, if not unique, for a political party around the world. In the nearly 50 years of China-U.S. interaction, the CPC has never been an obstacle to bilateral relations. On the contrary, it has been the leading and driving force for mutually beneficial cooperation.

Common good

China is committed to pursuing peaceful development and building a community with a shared future for mankind. This commitment is rooted in the traditional Chinese value of "common good of the world" and "peace and harmony among all nations." It is also the shared aspiration of people across the world.

China never has the intention to rule the world; we want to contribute to the common good of the world. China strives for development, not to compete with the United States for supremacy, but to bring a better life to its own people. China takes an active part in global governance not to supplant anyone, but to play its due role as a major country.

In responding to COVID-19, China has offered assistance to more than 150 countries and international organizations. We have shared our containment experience, and helped other developing countries, especially the least developed ones, to cope with the virus. We have supported WHO in playing its important role, and worked to improve global public health governance. China and the United States form a sharp contrast when it comes to vaccine development and distribution. China is making every effort to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and has pledged to make it a global public good, whereas the United States is trying to hoard and monopolize vaccines, caring about no one but itself.

In essence, the difference between China and the United States on the international order and global governance is not what some U.S. politicians have portrayed as "tyranny vs. freedom," but between multilateralism and unilateralism, between equity and justice on the one hand and hegemony and "might makes right" on the other, and between the common good and "America First."

It is only too clear to the world which one is the right way to go and represents the trend of history. All peace- and justice-loving people in the world should stand up to U.S. unilateralist moves and power politics, and come together in getting the United States to return to the right path of reason, law and justice.

China always pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, and hopes to make friends and maintain good relations with all countries. The Chinese people are aboveboard, honest and sincere. We are not aggressive. We do not bully. Nevertheless, being modest and gracious does not mean having no sense of right and wrong or giving up principles. On issues concerning China's core interests and national dignity, there is simply no room for us to back down. If we give up an inch, they will ask us to back off a mile and through salami tactics, they will never stop undermining China's sovereignty and dignity. Some people in the United States have been spreading rumors and making slanderous attacks on China. If we always stay silent and do nothing about it, the international community will be easily misled by these lies.

Our guiding principles are very clear. We do not provoke, and we will not flinch from provocations, either. We will not move to the beat of villains, and we will not put up with their wickedness, either. We never fire the first shot. Every response has been a move of self-defense and counterattack. Some people attribute the tensions between China and the United States to China's allegedly more assertive and aggressive foreign policy. I do not agree. Expansionism and hegemony are never part of China's cultural tradition. While China is making progress in its development, it should naturally shoulder greater international responsibility and make more contribution to the world. And that is also a common expectation from the international community.

For example, China's share in membership contributions to the UN has jumped from 1 percent 20 years ago to today's 12.5 percent. Its share in the UN peacekeeping budget has gone up to 15 percent. China has sent more peacekeepers than any other permanent members of the UN Security Council. Our assistance to other developing countries has also significantly increased. Which part of this is not good for the world? What is there to accuse? Some Americans used to call China a "free-rider." But when China is contributing financially and materially to the world and providing more public goods, they say this is driven by strategic motives and hegemonic ambitions. Aren't they self-contradictory?

Long-term perspective

The way China and the United States choose to live with each other concerns the wellbeing of the 1.7 billion Chinese and American people, and the future of the over 7 billion people on this planet. When handling the China-U.S. relationship, one should not focus only on what is at hand, or allow a tiny minority of anti-China elements to set the tone or lead it astray. It is vital to put the relationship in the broader context of the changing international landscape unseen in a century and the defining trend of peace and development of our times. Some issues may take more than one or two years to resolve. Yet we must shoulder the historic responsibility, take a forward-looking attitude, and assume a long-term perspective. It is important to think outside the box of electoral politics, take emotions out of the equation, and return to reason and pragmatism.

First, keep the lines of communication open. Dialogue should not be put on hold. In particular, there should be no "radio silence" between the two foreign ministries. That means no matter how difficult and complex the issues may be, they should be put on the table. How can any problem get resolved without discussions?

Second, focus on cooperation. There are many areas where the two countries can and should cooperate. Cooperation in COVID-19 response should be a first-order priority. When lives are at stake, cooperation should come first. In addition, there is vast room for coordination and cooperation in bilateral areas such as economy, trade, law enforcement, counter-narcotics, and sub-national exchanges, on global governance such as climate change and poverty relief, and on hotspot issues such as the Korean nuclear issue, the Middle East, and Afghanistan.

Third, properly manage differences. Disagreements exist naturally between China and the United States, and they should be handled with a rational and pragmatic attitude. In particular, differences must not be widened on purpose, let alone creating new ones. There are already too many problems for the two sides, and what is needed is subtraction rather than addition.

The next few months will be critical. We must stay focused without being swayed by any extreme forces, keep to the right direction of the bilateral relationship, and prevent it from spiraling out of control or getting derailed.

(Print Edition Title: Relationship in a Broader Context)

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