https://apnews.com/article/china-us-russia-wang-yi-ukraine-taiwan-31542adc730f1b34444decc8bd6cc95e
China’s foreign minister accused the U.S. of devising tactics to suppress China’s rise and criticized the Biden administration for adding more Chinese companies to its sanctions lists. He spoke to the media during the annual meeting of China’s legislature and expressed how China’s relations with the U.S. have improved since President Xi Jinping and Joe Biden met in November, but America has not fulfilled its promises. Nevertheless, there are many points of contention between China and the US. One being members of the U.N. The Security Council, the US, blocked Palestine from becoming a member of the United Nations. The foreign minister said during a Security Council debate in January that China supports Palestine becoming a full member as soon as possible, as a first step toward creating a Palestinian state, according to Chinese media reports. Additionally, he accused the United States, without mentioning it by name, of stirring up trouble in Taiwan and the South China Sea. He said countries that insist on maintaining official ties with Taiwan are interfering in China’s domestic affairs. He went on to say “Our bottom line is also very clear,” Wang said. “That is Taiwan will never be allowed to split from the motherland.” And lastly another point of contention: China and Russia’s growing relationship. He praised China’s growing ties with Russia, noting that trade between the two reached $240 billion last year, beating a target to hit $200 billion by the end of 2024.
I think China and US relations will always be a complex topic with many factors at play. China and The United States’ different forms of government and worldviews will lead to disagreements on policies and international affairs. In the future, there may be a world where China and The United States get along, but I think it will require a willingness to compromise and find common ground on various issues. Unfortunately, I think the Taiwan dispute is holding that conversation back. I don’t see a world where the United States allows Taiwan to completely fall into the hands of China. Many Americans and policymakers argue that supporting Taiwan aligns with the US’s commitment to democracy and regional stability. Additionally, the microchips Taiwan produces are another key factor in maintaining Taiwan’s independence.
This article and its contents relate to our class because it examines relations between China and the US and how decisions made by these countries can have ripple effects on other smaller nations. The article also involves diplomacy, trade, and security which are important dynamics in international relations. Additionally, the US and China have engaged in I would say small-scale proxy wars, which we discussed in class, with the situation in Israel and Palestine, where the US supports Israel and China supports Palestine. Nevertheless, both countries definitely support the different sides based on their own interest and perspectives, but I think there are elements of proxy war, as both sides may use the side they support to indirectly exert influence.