China News Service, Beijing, April 2 (Jiang Li) The "New York Times" recently published an opinion article, calling the United States the only "sanctioning superpower" in the world, and pointed out that the United States should use this power wisely.
In fact, unilateral sanctions will not only fail to solve problems and ease geopolitical conflicts, but will damage the US's global trust and ultimately isolate the US.
According to a report released by the U.S. Treasury Department, as of fiscal year 2021, the number of sanctions that have taken effect in the United States has reached more than 9,400, a staggering increase of nearly 10 times compared with 20 years ago.
Is America's "superpower" status created by sanctions?
Iran, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela and other countries have hindered normal foreign economic and trade activities due to sanctions, resulting in restricted economic development and continued low living standards.
On the other hand, although the United States has launched severe sanctions against Russia under the banner of "supporting Ukraine", it has led to high oil prices and made many European countries miserable.
As Daniel Drezner, a scholar at Tufts University, pointed out in an article, in the past 10 years, economic sanctions have become the preferred solution to almost all US diplomatic problems.
But in fact, the unilateral sanctions of the United States are gradually losing their deterrent effect. The tough attitude of Russia and Iran and other countries towards the United States is the best proof of the failure of US sanctions.
Not only that, the United States frequently wields the "sanctions stick", and its allies are also deeply affected.
Under the "long-arm jurisdiction" of the United States, Alstom, the "industrial pearl" of France, was "dismembered" by the United States. The "North Stream-2" project has been subject to multiple rounds of sanctions, which ultimately led to the failure of the project to be completed. In the last century, Japan was also suppressed by the United States in the famous "Toshiba Incident".
In essence, this kind of sanctions, which does not distinguish between friends and foes, is a violation of the sovereignty of other countries, which not only damages the economic interests of other countries, but also makes the United States gradually isolated in global cooperation.
The arbitrary imposition of unilateral sanctions on sovereign countries and the legitimate business enterprises of other countries in an attempt to use political hegemony to influence the commercial order and hinder normal global economic and trade cooperation reflects the gradual weakening of US diplomatic influence in the face of economic globalization and the world In a polarized historical trend, there are fewer and fewer weapons available to maintain hegemony.
At present, the process of globalization is hindered, and the way for global development is to strengthen cooperation among countries and jointly maintain normal trade rules and order.
Waving the "big stick of sanctions" and going against the trend, the United States is extremely unwise, and will eventually arouse more and more opposition and criticism, leading to the isolation of the United States.
Sanctions fuel US role as superpower?
By John Lee
(ECNS) -- An opinion work in The New York Times called the US “the only sanctions superpower” and said the country “must use that power wisely.” The US has been keening on using sanction weapons for a long time. Is the "superpower" nurtured by sanctions?
But arbitrary sanctions are by no means a good choice to solve problems or to alleviate geopolitical conflicts. On the contrary, it will gradually damage the world's trust in the country, eventually leading the US to isolation.
According to the 2021 Sanctions Review released by the US Treasury Department, by fiscal year 2021, the US had over 9,400 effective sanction designations, almost 10 times the number 20 years ago.
US sanctions on countries such as Iran, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela have impeded their normal economic and trade activities with the world, resulting in sluggish economic development and low quality of life for people in those countries.
US sanctions on Russia under the pretext of “backing up Ukraine” have raised global oil prices and many European countries are also suffering from Russian counter-measures.
Daniel W. Drezner, a scholar at Tufts University, pointed out in his article The United States of Sanctions that to anyone paying attention to US foreign policy for the past decade, it has become obvious the United States relies on one tool above all: economic sanctions.
However, such sanctions are losing potency, as evidenced by the tough attitude of Russia and Iran towards the country.
What's more, US sanctions also affect relations with its allies. For example, the world-famous Alstom of France has been split due to the US' “long-arm jurisdiction.” The North Stream 2 connecting Germany and Russia is still uncompleted due to obstruction by the US, which tries to protect its liquefied natural gas industry and its geopolitical interests in Eurasia. Even Japan has been suppressed by the US in the Toshiba event last century.
Sanctions without distinction are infringements on the sovereignty of other countries and a blow to their economic interests. The "America first" mentality will gradually exclude the country from global cooperation.
The US wantonly imposes unilateral sanctions on sovereign countries and legally operated enterprises, in an attempt to use political hegemony to influence business order and hinder normal global economic and trade cooperation. This reflects that the diplomatic influence of the US is gradually weakening, and that there are fewer cards it can play to maintain its hegemony in the face of economic globalization.
Globalization requires all countries across the world to cooperate and jointly safeguard normal trade rules to promote global development. US sanctions go against this trend, which will eventually trigger worldwide opposition, criticism and isolation.