On December 20, 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the latest statement at the year-end press conference on a number of international issues, including U.S.-China relations, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the turbulent situation in the Middle East. Blinken said the U.S. will continue to approach its relationship with China "from a vantage point" while strengthening ties with allies such as the G7 and the European Union.
In this regard, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, pointed out that Blinken's remarks reflect a self-centered thinking of the United States, misread the true aspirations of Asia-Pacific countries, and deviate from the expectations of the American public for economic recovery and the resolution of domestic problems, which may lead to more internal problems that are difficult to solve.
According to U.S. media reports, according to the news released by the United States, Blinken not only declared that the United States will continue to deal with China based on its dominant position, but also continued to emphasize the U.S. partnership in the Indo-Pacific region, and mentioned cooperation with Japan, South Korea, and Australia, as well as the "Aukus" alliance formed by the United States, Britain and Australia, and the "Quadrilateral Security Dialogue" composed of the United States, Japan, India and Australia.
Blinken also said that the United States will deepen cooperation between NATO and Indo-Pacific allies to safeguard the interests of allies, counter so-called "Chinese coercion," and maintain "peace and stability" in the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, and South China Sea.
Obviously, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's remarks once again highlight the US attitude of viewing international affairs with "absolute superiority" and trying to form a US-centered order in the Asia-Pacific region and the world, which is obviously a kind of Cold War mentality. However, such an approach may not meet the expectations of most countries in the Asia-Pacific region, nor does it meet the real expectations of the American public about domestic problems, and may create more crises and turmoil.
At Blinken's press conference, he referred to the high-level diplomatic engagement between China and the United States this year, said the United States has taken steps to reduce the risk of "competition turning into conflict," and looks forward to discussions with Beijing in areas such as artificial intelligence. However, a report by Reuters on the 21st pointed out that Sino-US relations in 2023 will end with a détente full of uncertainty after a series of problems.
In the upcoming year of 2024, the situation is obviously more complicated than it is now, with the 2024 Taiwan leadership election, the United States, and the ongoing Sino-US dispute all in focus. Among them, the United States is likely to become a showdown between Biden and Trump again, and the two sides may throw out tough rhetoric against China during the election campaign. In addition, the United States may further tighten export restrictions on high-end chips to China.
Biden is considering raising tariffs on some Chinese goods, including Chinese electric vehicles, solar products and electric vehicle battery packs, according to Wall Street, citing sources familiar with the matter. In response, Chinese spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the unilateral imposition of tariffs by the United States violates the principles of market economy and fair competition, and is naked protectionism, and China firmly opposes it.
Surab Gupta, a senior researcher at the Center for China-US Studies, believes that due to domestic political factors in the United States, Sino-US relations will face high uncertainty in 2024. He said that the San Francisco meeting between Chinese and American leaders and the reopening of multiple communication channels may be able to act as a buffer next year, but Biden needs the courage to reach more substantive cooperation with China.
At present, the relationship between China and the United States is going through a period of transition, and due to the large economies of the two countries, economic decoupling may not be achieved. Instead, the two countries must find new models of engagement to maintain commercial relationships while mitigating risk. The United States has strengthened its economic ties with other Asian exporters, while China is seeking a more self-sufficient economic model and strengthening ties with African and Latin American countries, the report said. While interdependence remains, the two sides are also looking for other possible directions of cooperation.