The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 14th (local time) that the Chinese government is describing the US shooting down of a Chinese reconnaissance balloon as evidence that the US is in decline.
It is because of the severe division in American society and factional struggle that a powerful country like the United States was frightened by such a trivial balloon and took a hardline response.
The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, wrote in a recent editorial that the balloon incident “showed the world just how immature and irresponsible the United States was in its response.”
Chinese propaganda agencies are focusing on mocking the Biden administration for overreacting to show off its superiority over China by outflanking hardline conservatives. On the other hand, there has never been a response that is conscious of responsibility for this incident.
On the other hand, as of the 14th, there is a strong atmosphere in China to ignore the balloon incident. Authorities are focusing on China’s strategic interests outside the United States. Chinese Ambassador to France Lou Shaya stressed that the European Union (EU) should step away from US influence and strengthen ties with China. Iranian President Ibrahim Raishi visited China and met with President Xi Jinping to share his vision of a multipolar world free from US hegemony.
In a speech at the Central Party School of the Communist Party last week, President Xi rejected the notion of “Westernization as modernization,” suggesting “Chinese modernization” as a new model for human development.
After the reconnaissance balloon was shot down on the 4th, every article published in the Chinese state media opinion column claims that the United States overreacted and shot down the civilian balloon.
Tensions are rising after the US recently shot down another balloon for the third day in a row and China announced it would shoot down one over Bohai Bay.
As such, the leaders of the two countries have not been able to reduce the risk of conflict because they have not been able to control nationalist sentiments in their countries.
President Xi, who has emphasized the revival of China, saying that the East is rising and the West is declining, is taking a hardline response to the balloon issue because he cannot show the appearance of giving in to the United States.
China’s stance on the balloon incident has changed dramatically over the past few days. Initially expressing regret over the flight over Montana and accusing the US of “fighting public opinion,” Beijing this week claimed that US high-altitude balloons had invaded Chinese airspace more than 10 times since May last year.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin accused the US Department of Defense of using billions of dollars to develop and use high-altitude reconnaissance balloons for military purposes and used excessive force to shoot down the balloons. He pointed out that “the United States must be careful not to boast too much of its strength.”
Chinese media are emphasizing the division in the US political world. It is an argument that President Biden, who was criticized for failing to respond early from the Republican Party, shot down the balloon to increase his approval rating.
Chung Yong-nen, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, warned that as nationalism in the United States grows, nationalism in China will also grow. “The greatest international risk is U.S. domestic politics,” he stressed.
If House Speaker Kevin McCarthy visits Taiwan, cooperation between the US and China will become very difficult. In addition, President Xi’s visit to Russia next month could serve as an opportunity to intensify the US-China conflict.
Meanwhile, attention is being paid to whether the meeting of US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln and Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference on the 17th will serve as an opportunity to alleviate the recent US-China conflict. The schedule for the two to meet has not been set, but the US State Department emphasizes that communication channels between the two countries are open.
It is not easy for China to give a conciliatory signal first, but the Chinese government, which urgently needs to recover its economy, has plenty of reasons to ease tensions between the two countries. Last week at the US-China Economic Conference, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the US hoped that the balloon incident would not dampen US investment in China.
Right now, the key is which of the two countries will reach out to them for reconciliation first. This is because it is easy for both countries to be seen as giving in if they first attempt reconciliation. However, it is difficult for China to remain strong without escalating tensions with the United States.
Ryan Haas, a senior research fellow at the Brookings Institution, said: “China is more conscious of domestic public opinion when it has to choose.” However, he said, “There is a clear atmosphere that China wants the situation to improve. The Chinese government wants to hand over the reconnaissance balloon issue without appearing like a concession,” he stressed.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.