#US-China Relations

[unitedventurez]

China's Role in the U.S. Election: A Focus for Trump, an Oversight for Harris

As the U.S. presidential election approaches, the rivalry between the U.S. and China remains a significant theme, yet only one major party candidate is actively addressing it. Republican nominee Donald Trump has made China a central topic, mentioning it 40 times at five rallies since the latest presidential debate. In a recent town hall in Michigan, he referred to China 27 times in just one hour.

Trump portrays China as an economic threat, discussing proposed tariffs on imports from China and emphasizing the need to prevent Chinese vehicles from entering the U.S. market. He has also blamed China for the COVID-19 pandemic and cautioned against its ambitions to replace the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency. His rhetoric resonates with blue-collar voters in the industrial Midwest, who have felt the impact of competition from Chinese manufacturers, though some economists warn that his tariff plans could harm U.S. consumers.

In contrast, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has not mentioned China at all in her six rallies since September 10, although she did address the issue in a speech about the economy in Pittsburgh. An aide defended her approach, noting that she has a track record of working against China's efforts to undermine global stability.

The difference in focus was evident at a recent Trump event in Smithton, Pennsylvania, where he held a discussion about the "growing threat" of the Chinese Communist Party to the U.S. food supply. Local farmers voiced their concerns about competition from subsidized Chinese imports, while Trump reiterated his intention to use tariffs to protect American industries.

The conversation also included Richard Grenell, a former U.S. ambassador and potential future secretary of state, who criticized China’s strategic actions against the U.S.

If Harris were to win, her administration is expected to continue the current Biden administration's approach, which has identified China as a key competitor among global democracies. However, public opinion polls indicate that China is not a top priority for many voters, who are more concerned about issues like the economy and immigration.

In battleground states like Pennsylvania, where polls show a tight race, Trump's focus on China may resonate with undecided voters, making it a potential tipping point in the election. Bill Bretz, chair of the local county Republican Party, emphasized that while China may not be the leading concern for voters, highlighting it could sway opinions in a crucial state.

[xtruss]

House Chaos: Congress Becomes ‘Anti-China Theater’

— Ding Gang | January 04, 2023

Illustration: Chen Xia/Global Times

The difficult election for Speaker of the US House of Representatives is not a good thing for US-China relations.

The 118th Congress officially kicked off on Tuesday, and in the election for Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican candidate Kevin McCarthy suffered a block. In the three rounds of voting that day, he failed to secure the 218 votes necessary to become a speaker.

The last such obstruction occurred in 1923, when it took nine ballots to elect a speaker.

This time round, it shows that US politics is still mired in a fierce struggle of "madness against madness." The drama that has been repeated and intensified in recent years in US politics is that the more intense the battle between the two parties, or among groups within a party, the more the "China threat" will become a topic of discussion, and the more anti-China proposals will be made. Some lawmakers will even use "China" to bargain under the table in order to secure the support of their opponents.

The reasoning is simple, because only through the topic of containing China is it possible for both parties to form a united front. This is not because China has really become the enemy that will destroy the US tomorrow morning, but because they can't reach a consensus on many US domestic problems, they can only use China to shift the subject. Therefore, the US Congress has become a highly rehearsed and staged "anti-China drama" theater.

An important factor affecting McCarthy's vote is that the Trump complex is still deeply influencing US politics. It was during Trump's administration that China-US relations turned from a slow climb to a sharp downward spiral. His policy toward China shows a strong and characteristic smell of "Madness." Some people in the Republican Party do not support McCarthy, thinking that McCarthy is not supportive enough of Trump, and is too soft on the Biden administration. They also accused the Biden administration of not having a strong enough policy to target China.

McCarthy said in July that he would lead a delegation to Taiwan after his election as Speaker of the House. He and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Iowa), chairman of the newly formed Select Committee on China, co-authored an article on the Fox News Website in December with the headline, "We're in a Cold War with China. Here's How We Win It." But that's not strong enough.

Five Republican lawmakers have formed a small group to oppose McCarthy's election, including Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, who calls himself a "libertarian populist," but observers have often described his views as far-right.

Gaetz tweeted that he cannot trust President Joe Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi's strategy toward China, accusing them of being too soft on China and that the US must have a national strategy to punish China.

As a result, the positioning of China as an enemy of the US has become a potential, unwritten "rule of survival" within the US Congress. Thus, the more the two parties fail to agree on key domestic issues, the more they will saber-rattle on China. We can see from the anti-China programs that have been introduced in the US Congress in recent years that some people have lost their rationality in dealing with the China issue.

The US House of Representatives continues to vote on Wednesday, but no matter who is elected, it is clear that the overall attitude of the US Congress toward China will become more assertive in the future, and the White House's flexibility on China-related issues will be squeezed. The political polarization within the US will continually make it difficult to ease relations between China and the US.

— The Author is a Senior Editor with People's Daily, and currently a senior fellow with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China.

[indianexpalert]

'Playing with fire': China warns US over military aid to Taiwan

Image used for representative purpose China condemned the United States for its recent military aid and defence material sales to Taiwan. The Chinese foreign ministry cautioned the US against “playing with fire” in a statement released Sunday.China’s foreign ministry urged the US to halt arms sales to Taiwan. The statement called on the US to stop its “dangerous moves that undermine peace and…

[nationnow]

New York radiation levels spike as Americans told 'prepare for worst'

A US-China relations expert fears has warned Americans to “plan for the worst” amid the ongoing New Jersey drone mystery – with reports about unexplained radiation spikes in the area. According to the Geiger Counter World Map, which tracks radiation levels across the world, two areas in the New York metro area have been flagged as red. The areas are both said to be over the 200 counts-per-minute…

[latestnews-now]

Discover how China’s President Xi Jinping addressed the U.S. at the APEC summit, warning against crossing the "red line" on Taiwan while proposing a cooperative approach with president-elect Donald Trump. Get insights into key issues like Taiwan, the South China Sea, Ukraine, and future U.S.-China relations.

[msn-technology]

As Trump threatens a full-scale trade war, will the US be able to compete with China?

Photo by Kaique Rocha on Pexels.com The relationship between the United States and China may experience heightened tension. It could also undergo further deterioration due to Trump’s threats to initiate a trade war. Trump intends to impose stricter tariffs on Chinese goods and services. This action could significantly impact the economic stability of both nations. It could also affect their…

[creativemedianews]

China releases US pastor David Lin, who was jailed for life in 2006

China releases US pastor David Lin, who was jailed for life in 2006 #ChinadetainsUScitizens #contractfraud

[leftreviewonline]

(via ‘China’s overcapacity’ narrative can not justify protectionist US push)

[jimluce]

Building Bridges: How Cultural Exchange Shapes Future Leaders

Kamala Harris’s vice-presidential pick, Tim Walz, embodies this spirit of cultural exchange. His year teaching in Guangdong, China, in 1989 was during the Tiananmen Square massacre. This period offers him a unique perspective on one of the most pivotal moments in modern Chinese history. His background highlights the potential for educational exchanges to foster deep, nuanced understandings of…

[digivault1]

US Moves to Restrict Investments in China's AI Technology Sector: A New Phase in Tech Conflict

Stay informed about the latest measures the U.S. is taking to curb investments in China's AI technology sector. Read more to discover how these actions aim to protect national security, influence the future of global tech and the broader implications.

The U.S. government is advancing its plans to curb investments in China’s AI technology sector. This strategic move aims to limit China’s access to critical American investments and advanced technologies, particularly those with potential military applications. The initiative reflects growing concerns about national security and technological dominance. In recent months, the Biden administration…

[commercialawarenesstoday]

China receives US equipment to make advanced chips despite new rules-report

Chinese companies are buying up U.S. chipmaking equipment to make advanced semiconductors, despite a raft of new export curbs aimed at thwarting advances in the country's semiconductor industry, a report said on Tuesday.

The 741 page annual report, released by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, takes aim at the Biden administration's Oct. 2022 export curbs, which seek to bar Chinese chipmakers from getting U.S. chipmaking tools if they would be used to manufacture advanced chips at the 14 nanometer node or below.

With the Commerce Department using the 14 nanometer restriction limit, "importers are often able to purchase the equipment if they claim it is being used on an older production line, and with limited capacity for end-use inspections, it is difficult to verify the equipment is not being used to produce more advanced chips," the report stated.

The finding comes as the United States scrambles to figure out how Chinese telecoms giant Huawei was able to produce an advanced 7 nanometer chip to power its Mate 60 Pro smartphone at China's top chipmaker SMIC, despite the export curbs announced last year.

Huawei and SMIC were also added to a trade restriction list in 2019 and 2020, which in theory bars U.S. suppliers from shipping certain technology to the companies.

China watchers had theorized that SMIC could have made the chip with equipment obtained prior to the October 2022 rules, but it had other options for obtaining the equipment from oversees, the report shows.

The United States managed to plug a key loophole in its efforts to stymie China's access to advanced chipmaking tools by convincing allies Japan and the Netherlands, with similarly robust chipmaking equipment industries, to announce their own restrictions on exports of the coveted technology.

But China stockpiled equipment by taking advantage of the lagtime between the United States' October 2022 rules, and Japan and the Netherlands' similar moves in July and September of 2023 respectively, the report details.

According to the document, between January and August 2023, China imported $3.2 billion (RMB 23.5 billion) worth of semiconductor manufacturing machines from the Netherlands, a 96.1% increase over the $1.7 billion (RMB 12 billion) recorded over the same period in 2022. China's imports of semiconductor equipment from all countries totaled $13.8 billion (RMB 100 billion) over the first eight months of 2023, it added.

The report does not outline a specific recommendation to address the gaps in the U.S. rules, but urges Congress to request an annual evaluation, to be completed within 6 months by the General Accountability Office and later made public, of the effectiveness of export controls on chipmaking equipment to China.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission was created in 2000 to submit an annual report to Congress on the national security implications of the economic ties between the United States and China, and to provide recommendations for government action.

(This story has been corrected to show that the report was released by the US China Economic and Security Review Commission, not the House Select Committee on China, in paragraph 2)

[jovialbasementbouquetblr]

2023 Fu Ying: Rational Thinking Needed in PRC-US Relations; Chinese Must Forge Its Own Strength Without Needing to Flaunt It

This blog posting of March 30, 2023 on the popular Baidu website summarizes the views of former PRC Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying, 2013 – 2018 chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the National People’s Congress. I remember reading a few times online her insightful and colorful Chinese language blog when she was PRC Ambassador to Australia 2003 – 2007. Now that she is retired, perhaps she…

[latestnews-now]

In this video, we explore the potential implications of a Trump victory in the upcoming U.S. elections on US-China relations. With tensions rising between the two world powers, what could happen next? Will Trump's policies shift the balance of global trade, diplomacy, and security? Join us as we analyze the key factors and speculate on the future of US-China relations under a Trump presidency. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights into politics, international relations, and current events.