"Tensions between the world's largest economies over trade and the Coronavirus has reached a new level"
On Tuesday, last week, the United States ordered the People's Republic of China's consulate in Houston Texas closed. The US accused Beijing of using the consulate as a hub for espionage and intellectual property theft.
In response to Washington's order, Chinese authorities took over the US consulate in Chengdu and the American flag was lowered.
The current sour bilateral relations between China and the United States is something the former does not want to see but the responsibility rests entirely with the latter.
China is unfortunate because countries like India, United Kingdom and Australia are forced to choose sides when Beijing and Washington collide. Increasingly, these countries are choosing the US over China.
Such voluntary choices make the US believe that it controls the world to the extent of trying to induce regime change in China's Communist party.
President Xi Jinping ( left) and President Donald Trump (right).
There are no significant reasons for the lack of collaboration in the face of a global crisis. The pursuit by the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo to blame China for the Corona virus is enough to conclude that there will be no meaningful collective response from the world's most powerful nations.
Fifty-nine Chinese companies have now been locked out in India, one of the fastest growing markets in the world. The companies include WeChat and TikTok, a third of whose users where in India.
Now these are some of the effects of bad international diplomacy. Huawei, China's champion has lost its foothold in Europe, as UK joined the US in blocking the tech giant.
This is not the first time China is involved in a backlash. Beijing also finds itself in conflict with countries not traditionally seen as rivals, including Australia and Canada.
Beijing-Washinton confrantation diplomacy deepen over a range of issues, from Huawei and human rights violations in Xinjiang, to Beijing's claims in the South China sea.
President Xi Jinping's administration has called the closure of the US consulate as a 'legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable measures by the United States'. Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said the Chinese consulate in Houston was a 'hub of spying and intellectual property theft '. Houston is a major centre for medical and biological research and the fourth largest city in the United States.
Demonstrators hold a banner during protests against China in New Dehli, 19 June, 2020, Photograph: Reuters
Beijing-Washinton confrantation diplomacy deepen over a range of issues, from Huawei and human rights violations in Xinjiang, to Beijing's claims in the South China sea.
President Xi Jinping's administration has called the closure of the US consulate as a 'legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable measures by the United States'. Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said the Chinese consulate in Houston was a 'hub of spying and intellectual property theft '. Houston is a major centre for medical and biological research and the fourth largest city in the United States.
President Xi Jinping in a maize field
By closing the consulate in Chengdu, it appears Beijing is reciprocating in kind-shutting a smaller mission rather than more crucial US operations in China. The US has seven diplomatic missions in China - in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong among others.
Secretary Mike Pompeo
In a provacatative speech, Secretary Pompeo called on Chinese citizens to work with the US and change the direction of the ruling Chinese Communist regime. Pompeo said China is strongly authoritarian at home and increasingly aggressive in its hostility to freedom everywhere.
The Chinese described Washington's actions as a desperate crusade against her, saying it's like an ant trying to shake a tree. Well, the central government of China has been successful in fighting the coronavirus as compared to other countries and a recent survey found that trust towards the government has increased from the residents. Effecting regime change and shaking a government of this nature, where the people are content with the ruling elite will certainly not be an easy task for any country.
T he Future
The future is uncertain. It looks like international reaction is not important for Chinese leadership. They seek to maintain support from its citizens.
What's not clear as well, is whether China versus the US is likely to ignite another cold war, but what we are sure of is that, the US will continue its anti-China campaign and her allies will not be left behind.
The big question however is, will these countries combined prevail against China?
Chinese officials posit that, they are only defending their interests and pushing back outside interference. This is likely not to stop anytime soon. China is right, because in international relations, there are neither permanent friends nor permanent enemies, instead, states have permanent interests.
For China, the near future is ok for her. China is in the front yard for Africa and Latin America. The assumption that, there is an inbuilt majority willing to take on Chinese authoritarianism in the manner that the US wants is a fantasy.
Countries containing 20% of the world's population are willing to join the anti-China alliance, but the rest are not.
"China is at risk of blowing her chance to lead and control the world".
Whatever the future holds for the two largest economies, the competition to control the world is at its peak now. The fortunes of good diplomacy require greater restraint from Washington especially if Joe Biden wins the US election.
