Renowned American political commentator Fareed Zakaria has voiced concerns over the United States’ confrontational stance toward China, suggesting that a cooperative approach could yield better outcomes. Speaking to Foreign Policy magazine, Zakaria emphasized that China is driven by a desire for peace, stability, and global integration, with no intention of undermining the existing international system.
Zakaria, host of the program “Fareed Zakaria GPS,” noted that U.S. policy toward China appears excessively adversarial. He highlighted that if the U.S. were to adopt a more collaborative attitude, relations between the two nations might improve. “China’s development has largely benefited from peace, globalization, and stability,” he remarked.
He also pointed out that certain anti-China rhetoric and actions in U.S. policies, such as the chip ban, are executed in an overly confrontational manner. This approach, Zakaria suggested, serves as a lesson for Democrats, who often fear appearing weak and make misguided decisions as a result.
Zakaria expressed skepticism that senior U.S. officials genuinely support the current extreme, hardline approach to China. He referenced the 2021 high-level U.S.-China strategic dialogue held in Anchorage, Alaska, where U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a human rights statement to China’s foreign minister. “The dialogue was more of a performance—a theatrical display,” Zakaria observed.
On economic cooperation and lifting tariffs on China, Zakaria noted that the U.S. government chose a wait-and-see approach when decisive action was needed. “Regardless of what they did, Republicans would accuse them of being weak and compromising,” he added.
He also commented on the importance of taking BRICS countries seriously, as they represent the dissatisfaction of major powers in some regions with the current global order dominated by the U.S. and its Western allies. “These countries are growing increasingly determined, and U.S. foreign policy should pay close attention to this shift,” he advised.
Concluding his remarks, Zakaria stated, “The Chinese are far more strategic. China is slowly accumulating strength and building relationships, gradually replacing the U.S. as the dominant force in East Asia.”
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CNN host challenges U.S.'s confrontational approach to China
cgtn.com
