Because they need to cooperate on important international issues such as climate change

America and China are required to avoid an imminent second Cold War

  • File photo of the US and Chinese presidents.

    Getty

  • Despite its economic boom, China needs America in terms of precision technology.

    Reuters

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A war is going on in the dark between the United States and China called Cold War II, and there is a great deal of evidence that it may have already begun, however, despite the sharp decline in relations between the United States and China, there are also indications that the two countries may be discussing There are other ways to apply the brakes, but analysts believe that this will not be easy, and there is no possibility of returning to important activities such as the partnership and cooperation that linked the two countries at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century.

The question that arises is: Can the two superpowers in the world find a way to coexist and cooperate on global issues that are in harmony with their interests, despite their rivalry and rivalry on basic political and economic issues?

US President Joe Biden believes that there is room for such an arrangement, and it is likely that there will be hints, in the coming weeks and months, about whether Biden is right, but the indications so far are not encouraging, and relations between them are not expected to improve during two major international summits. In the next few days, the Group of 20 major economies will meet at the end of this week, followed by the Global Climate Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

Climate change was one of the few topics on which Beijing and Washington actually agreed, and US envoy John Kerry has argued that China, as a major power and the world's largest carbon emitter, is a critical player to success, but Beijing's response has been stark: Biden's "conflict formula" With cooperation, it will not suit us.

expensive

In other words, if Biden wants a joint US-China push on climate change, it will cost him dearly. He must stop condemning our policies on Hong Kong, roll back public support for Taiwan, and soften the Trump administration's stance on trade.

In this atmosphere, the Italians' attempts to persuade Chinese President Xi Ping to attend the G-20 summit that was held in Rome recently failed.

So is Cold War II inevitable?

There are certainly serious differences, and they have been growing since Ping became president in 2012, and has tightened his grip on power more tightly than any other Chinese leader since Mao Zedong. Western democracies are relentlessly retreating before him.

China has fortified islands in the South China Sea, modernized its armed forces, and reportedly tested a hypersonic missile last October, and in Washington a bipartisan view has emerged widely that China, previously seen as a A cheap source of consumer goods for the West, it is now a competitive threat on both the economic and commercial fronts, using unfair government subsidies to develop high-tech industries.

The Biden administration has made clear that it will continue to defend human rights, fairer trade, and the security of the democracies in China's neighborhood, and it is natural for Washington to closely monitor China's military buildup, as is the case for NATO (NATO). NATO,” Jens Stoltenberg, Finally, President Biden's opinion that areas for cooperation must be found, such as climate change and arms control.

He broke his silence

So, will the United States and China start moving in this direction? Biden broke his silence in this regard when he addressed the United Nations, last month, to stress that his country is not seeking a "new cold war", noting that although Washington will "compete aggressively", he remains aware of the danger that could occur. If fair competition turns into a struggle. The US president had his first one-on-one conversation with President Peng by phone last month. While Ping refused to hold an early summit, the leaders agreed via video link to meet before the end of the year at this summit. The two men also understand the potential economic cost of a second Cold War. Trade between the United States and the Soviet Union during the first Cold War was negligible, but the United States and China are now deeply linked with more than half a trillion dollars in annual trade.

From the US point of view, a major advantage in making China a "friend" is that it will avoid further worry about the already turbulent international climate, always irritated by the prospect of a cold war, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

But China may also have reasons for reversing its hostilities. Despite its meteoric economic boom, it still lags behind in key areas, such as the invention and production of the latest generation of microchips. Beijing also appears to be aware of the risk of potential military escalation or miscalculation.

Although Peng has already said he expects China to eventually "reunify" Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary, he said this month that "peaceful reunification" would be better.

In a sign that Beijing also wants to calm the atmosphere, China responded to Western reports of a hypersonic missile launch by denying that it happened, claiming that it was just testing a reusable spacecraft, and whatever they did the Chinese at least avoid bragging that It may be harsh.

• If Biden wants a joint push between the United States and China on climate change, it will cost him dearly. He must stop condemning China's policies toward Hong Kong, withdraw public support for Taiwan, and soften the Trump administration's stance on trade.

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