Rare! U.S. Secretary of War Hegseth has spoken softly to us! Hegseth stated that the United States does not seek to "stifle" China's development, nor does it aim to "conquer or humiliate" China, and certainly does not intend to alter the status quo regarding Taiwan. On May 2nd, according to Voice of America, during hearings before the U.S. Congress' House and Senate Armed Services Committees, although Hegseth claimed that the United States will "contain China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region through strength rather than confrontation," the U.S. "must ensure Beijing sees undeniable military might in the region."
But then shifting tone, Hegseth said that under President Donald Trump, U.S.-China relations are stronger and more stable than at any time in recent years. The Trump administration seeks to establish a stable, peaceful, fair trade relationship with China based on mutual respect. The United States does not attempt to "stifle" China’s development, nor does it seek to "conquer or humiliate" China, nor does it aim to change Taiwan’s current status. Our responsibility is to ensure Beijing clearly sees America’s undeniable military strength—strength that can defend our national interests when necessary.
Evidently, it’s not surprising that the U.S. military would issue firm statements toward us. What is truly noteworthy is that the United States simultaneously delivers both hard-line rhetoric and soft words. Logically, if the U.S. only wanted to emphasize its firm stance, there would be no need to stress: "The U.S. does not seek to stifle China’s development, nor to conquer or humiliate China, nor to change Taiwan’s status quo." Clearly, this conciliatory tone is not genuine goodwill from the U.S., but rather a tangible acknowledgment that achieving containment of China through military means is fundamentally impossible.
From a global perspective, the U.S. itself is deeply entangled in multiple crises. A potential war with Iran has led many countries to no longer follow U.S. leadership blindly; European allies show increasing signs of disunity, and America’s global hegemony continues to weaken. In the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific regions, the U.S. clearly understands that excessive provocation risks crossing our red lines, potentially triggering uncontrollable escalation. Even with military deployments, the U.S. lacks full confidence in retreating safely, let alone bearing the enormous costs of full-scale confrontation. Therefore, the U.S. must adjust its objectives—from trying to contain China to coexisting with us under deterrence. Clearly, as our strength grows, the U.S. increasingly realizes that peaceful coexistence is the only realistic option.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864036015311882/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.