Reference News Network, January 9 report: Japan's "Mainichi Shimbun" published an editorial on January 8 with the title "A World Without a Direction: Can the United States, Which Has Been in Existence for 250 Years, Play a Role in Maintaining Order?" The editorial excerpts are as follows:

The 250th anniversary of the United States' independence from British colonial rule, which was formally declared on July 4, will be celebrated this year.

The American Revolution, initiated by 13 colonies, aimed to resist the oppression of the British king and parliament, eliminate tyranny, and establish a government that upholds the rights to freedom, equality, and the pursuit of happiness. As a pioneer of modern states, America's ideas inspired the French Revolution and Japan's Freedom and People's Rights Movement. When looking back at history, the American people are filled with pride.

However, after two and a half centuries, this image of a leader in democratic world has become shaky.

It excludes immigrants and arbitrarily bans entry of citizens from certain countries; it imposes high tariffs to protect domestic industries; when engaging in trade diplomacy with countries such as Russia and China, it places the interests of its allies in a secondary position; it attacks Venezuela, claiming Latin America as its sphere of influence. President Trump said these policies would "make America great again."

A country once vibrant because of its diversity and that created wealth through a free economy is no longer glorious. What we see is a tired figure that is seriously divided internally and gradually losing international credibility.

This inward-looking tendency displayed by the United States is not solely attributable to Trump. After the end of the Cold War, the United States briefly became the "only superpower" in the world, but this prestige did not last long. The 9/11 terrorist attacks prompted the United States to shift from traditional forms of international cooperation to unilateralism. The wars in Afghanistan and the reckless invasion of Iraq weakened the national strength of the United States.

Trump claimed that "the era of the United States supporting the world has ended," which seems to acknowledge the limitations of the United States and implies that the United States will return to isolationism as it was two centuries ago. If this is indeed the case, then the world is indeed at a historic crossroads.

Will international coordination continue to play a role? Can democratic systems continue to maintain order? Or is the era of "Pax Americana" about to come to an end?

People like Hubbard, former director of the U.S. National Economic Council, believe that the decline of major powers stems from factors such as the concentration of power and restrictions on individual freedoms. The Trump administration is a harbinger of this trend. Western democracy is in decline and may soon slide into authoritarianism.

Some views suggest that the achievements made by the United States during its short history are reaching their limits. Occasionally, people cite the histories of the Roman Empire and the British Empire to discuss the fate of the United States.

However, there is currently no indication of a country that will replace the United States. The withdrawal of the United States may create a "power vacuum." The current challenge lies in how to rebuild the chaotic world order. Achieving this goal does not rely on great power rivalry, but rather on diplomatic means to bring the situation back on track and stabilize relations among all parties. (Translated by Liu Lin)

On January 5, in New York, USA, people protested outside the U.S. Southern District Federal Court in New York where Maduro appeared, against the U.S. military strike on Venezuela (mobile phone photo). (Xinhua News Agency)

Original article: toutiao.com/article/7593245489617814035/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.