WhatsappWhat kind of relationship have the United States and China had over the last 100 years?This is not a simple question to answer.
The Chinese people comprise around 1/3 of the world’s population. Around 2 billion people live in the country which has fast become a major world power.
There are many who believe that the major threat to the world in the 21st century will be fro China.
Economic Threats
For now, the Chinese Economy has been growing in leaps and bounds for decades. Despite the Communist past, China now has found a way to be both a state-controlled country in so many ways and a more capitalistic oriented economy.
The world and especially the United States needs China. But China needs the US consumption of their products. The trade-related issues that President Trump rails about are very real. The merits of the solutions that he proposes can be debated. But, it is good that we have a President who is not looking to kick the can down the road. That generally does not work out for the best.
Attitudes to Minorities
If the video is indeed true, then it is a window to a major issue which should concern every human being. The Chinese people are perhaps rightfully concerned about a growing Muslim minority. However, there are civilized and non-civilized ways of dealing with it.
If the United States has a reasonably good relationship with China today, the person that should be thanked for that is Richard Nixon. He was the President who surprised the world when he opened the door to the closed nation. Most of the world was focused on the Cold War and the War in Vietnam. Meanwhile, Richard Nixon understood that the region of Asia had a major player called China that needed to be dealt with also.
If the United States could bring down the Iron Curtain and open up the Soviet Union, hopefully they can also open up China to a more free and open society.
