China’s multi-faceted approach to foreign relations is aimed at dominance in the coming years
Chinese leaders use every avenue available to build power
In 1972, then-President Richard Nixon successfully launched a groundbreaking effort at securing relations with China, paving the way to China’s economic growth.
Since that time China has taken advantage of every opening in entering markets in the West, especially during the reign of China’s past dictator Deng Xiaoping. During his regime, Deng moved the country toward adopting some capitalist ways while maintaining control on politics. The hypocrisy of such an action in light of China’s professed devotion to Communism notwithstanding.
A string of American leaders assumed that any break from the communist tenets would inevitably open the country. They were wrong.
President Bill Clinton, speaking in 1997 of China’s economic changes conceded some improvements in standard of living of some Chinese, but recognized the limits on freedom that came as well.
The Chinese “have stifled political dissent to a degree and in ways that we believe are fundamentally wrong, even as freedom from want, freedom of movement, and local elections have increased,” said Clinton. He added, “Chinese leaders believe it is necessary to hold the nation together, to keep it growing, to keep moving toward its destiny. But it will become increasingly difficult to maintain the closed political system in an ever more open economy and society.”
President Xi Jinping ended that era and has since cracked down even harder on any potential political dissent, including suppressing the Muslim Uyghurs, tightly controlling the use of social media, reigning in any vestige of freedom in Hong Kong, and the reiteration of China’s intent to take over Taiwan.
Today, China’s diverse actions regionally and globally are intended to achieve one clear purpose. Dominance. Dominance of their region, and well beyond, economically, militarily, diplomatically, all the while controlling information in China internally and about China externally.
It is not merely retaliation for recent prudent actions by the West to slow Chinese leaders’ efforts at military expansion. The Chinese clearly perceive their efforts as pecking away at the West, particularly the U.S., as part of its quest for dominance as spelled out in their “Great Rejuvenation of 2049” plan.
China’s Great Rejuvenation goals, that is gaining power over every country in its region and flipping alliances and partnerships of the U.S. in favor of the CCP, are not guesswork, the Chinese discuss it out loud.
Examples of China’s efforts abound.
The country is pushing nations friendly to the U.S. by flexing its economic power and proximity.
One example was demonstrated when New Zealand’s prime minister, Chris Hipkins was hosted by Xi in June. Xi made sure that, as the Washington Post put it softly, Hipkins understood “what side its bread is buttered on.”
New Zealand is dependent on the Chinese for many parts of its comparatively tiny economy on China, especially in dairy and meat. China skips no detail, however small.
In the coming months, it will be worth watching how China’s pressure affects New Zealand’s foreign and defense policies that are largely in line now with Australia and the West.
China also understands that it has economic levers to pull to demonstrate its willingness to hinder other nation’s competitive abilities.
For example, China recently announced that it would enact export controls on “two strategic raw materials, gallium and germanium” which are needed for chipmaking.
The controls are in place, according to the Chinese, to “protect national security and interests” of China. The materials are vital to the European Union’s need for computer chips and solar panels.
Not incidentally, the fact that China would hold hostage such materials, makes it laughable the idea of U.S. Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen, that the U.S. could possibly persuade China to work on reducing the effects of climate change. China does not care a bit about climate change.
Use of economic power is yet another quiver in China’s arsenal.
The Chinese also have chosen to remain in default on debt held by “American bondholders (to as much as a trillion dollars).” This is a little-known fact of the change in power in China in 1949. By supplanting the Republic of China in power in 1949, the newly minted People’s Republic of China was required by international norms to assume the debt. China pays interest on debt but not on the payments due to a group of American citizens.
The debt is still there and is still owed by the Chinese government. The Chinese repaid a similar debt to the U.K. in 1987. We should insist on the repayment before any major thaw in relations can occur.
There is little reason to expect that the trustworthiness of China on such issues is possible.
Repression of Chinese citizens is always central to maintenance of dictatorial power internally. After all, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) biggest fear is of its own people.
Now China is taking such repressive measures outside of its own borders.
Xi’s dictatorial regime is going worldwide in offering rewards for the capture of dissidents who were able to escape the clutches of the newly corrupted Hong Kong judicial system that follows the orders of Beijing. China has even warned nearby Australia to discontinue “sheltering fugitives,” some of whom happen to be dual-citizens of Australia and Hong Kong.
This effort is completely outside the agreement the CCP made with the British to allow Hong Kong democratic self-governance for 50 years. That agreement has essentially vanished.
We saw a similarly bizarre effort at quelling dissent even outside China when it was discovered that China had surreptitiously operated “police stations” in the U.S. The personnel in the stations were there to intimidate Chinese living in the U.S.
China views borders and international law as mere hinderances to be overcome by clever means.
China also sees military advancement as integral to pushing its economic and diplomatic plans.
Recently, in the Chinese state news service Xinhua, Xi called for “enhancing the planning of war and combat, strengthening the command system for joint operations, and stepping up training under real combat conditions to raise the forces' capabilities to fight and win.” Importantly, he also said “military issues must be considered and handled from a political perspective.”
Clearly, Xi believes in the need for a strong and active military for his global ambitions.
It is vital that the U.S. government, and even U.S. businesses be held accountable for limiting China’s effects on our citizens and our interests. The world’s security demands it.
James Hutton is a former assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army. Follow him on Twitter @jehutton
Excellent! Thank you for sharing your in depth knowledge on the CCP strategy toward world dominance. Congress needs to wake up, take action and protect the American people!
Love your piece, you really covered so much with great information, keep up the good work.
DGC