In a weekend national security conference, Defense Secretary Mark Esper named China as the “top concern” of the Pentagon, and one that needs to be focused on.
Esper accused China of engaging in aggression, claiming they are exploiting free market economies to engage in nefarious activities. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo further accused China of seeking to build an “empire.”
Pompeo went on to dismiss reports that NATO isn’t unified on the matter, declaring that “the West is winning” and will protect liberal democracies from China. Several nations, notably France, objected to the idea that “the West” is entirely US-driven and that Europe is just a junior partner.
The Chinese also rejected US claims against them, calling them “lies, not based on facts.” Foreign Minister Wang offered serious talks with the US over the matter, though that seems unlikely to happen.
Instead, the US seems eager to play the Chinese threat up to get foreign allies’ support, the same way they historically have with Russia. Confidence that the West is winning is easy to say, since there is no real conflict ongoing, beyond the US trying to get countries to not do business with Huawei.
Indeed, the economic challenge of Huawei is virtually the beginning and end of the matter. The US spends nearly three times as much on its military as China does, and apart from China not squandering much of their budget on open-ended occupations, there is no real potential of a military conflict unless the US openly picks a fight with China.
What evil clowns.
Number of nations “the west” has invaded since ww2 and the establishment of the UN? Number of nations invaded by China in same time?
Number of years before China eclipses the US as the largest economy in the world?
Note also China lifting millions out of poverty and the USA under any POTUS sinking millions into poverty as the very rich grow richer.
The ponzi scheme AKA the American Dollar Economy needs enemies so the pols & pals can continue to rake & steal 50+% of the taxes extorted from taxpayers like you and me.
Any sane human can see that the threat and the empire are not China but the USA.China with its BRI is (gasp!!) trying to cooperate positively with other countries and has already many agreements and projects in place without any threats, invasions, killings sanctions. The present demonisation of China due to the COVID-19 virus show the double standard, since the USA managed in 2009-10 to allow the death globally of 150,000 (minimum) from H1N1 flu spread from Mexico and California without the rest of us blaming California, or Mexico, or North America as if it were some sort of wicked choice.
Winning what?