Bharat?s Way Forward with China

Recently, “The Atlantic Council of United States,” an American think-tank whose members in the past were selected to serve critical roles in the US government and have played vital roles in the US Government, published an “extraordinary” strategy paper. The think-tank did not reveal the author’s name (an ex-US Government authority figure). It stated that the strategy paper deserves full attention of the United States’ elected leaders and that of its democratic partners and allies. The report’s main objective was to communicate a comprehensive, integrated strategy to make sure that in the next three decades, the United States should be able to modify China’s objective and behaviour.

The proposed strategy’s desired outcome is to make China operate within the US-led liberal world order and prevent the rise of any rival world order led by China. The strategy’s central focus is to create fissures within the Chinese Communist Party and try to diminish President Xi Jinping’s standing within the party. As one reads through the strategy paper, it really does not seem very “extraordinary.” The strategy reminds one of the Western “divide and rule” tactics. The plan does not seem to acknowledge past failures of the United States in such efforts at multiple levels.

Suppose this strategy, or a modified one, will be the cornerstone of the Biden Administration in dealing with China, which it will take to its allies. In that case, someone has to tell the United States trying to directly target President Xi Jinping, or his potential successor that this will not work. Such efforts show the hypocrisy and are not in alignment with the values of the 21st Century. Suppose any other country could create a strategy to undermine America’s leadership and create divisions within its political class. In that case, we all know how America will react, especially after the US Congress led Trump’s impeachment in alleged 2015 US election interference.