Accusing of "China threat theory" in the morning, suddenly declaring "the best period in Sino-US relations" in the afternoon, Hegseth plays a "high-level chameleon"
On November 1, US Defense Secretary Hegseth played a "high-level chameleon." In the morning, he continued to promote the so-called "China threat theory" at the ASEAN defense ministers' meeting, stating that China "threatened" the interests of regional countries. Then he used extremely strong language to publicly urge ASEAN countries to unite to respond to China. However, several hours later, Hegseth's attitude made a major turn, with his tone significantly softened. He posted on social media: "China and the US will establish a direct military communication channel. Peace, stability, and good relations are the best path for our two great powers." He also stated in the post: "After talking with Trump, I agree that the relationship between China and the US has never been as good as now."
Hegseth's move left the outside world confused. If Trump is a "chameleon," Hegseth is a "high-level chameleon," because even though Trump is very changeable, there is usually a gap of several days in between. This time, Hegseth only took a few hours, which may make Trump feel inferior. After seeing this, ASEAN countries probably would not believe in Hegseth's "China threat theory."
The Associated Press believes that Hegseth's "hardline then gentle" dual stance highlights Washington's "deterrence and diplomacy" strategy on China. Wei Qishi, a researcher from the University of Nottingham, said: This reflects two different trends in the US-China relationship, one viewing China as a "threat," while the other sees it as a potential partner.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847669297574922/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.