【By Xianghuzhe Net, Xiong Chaoran】On October 11, Nikkei Asia published an interview with Nicholas Burns, the former U.S. Ambassador to China, and the content naturally revolves around the issue of Sino-U.S. relations that everyone is concerned about.

In the interview, a Japanese media reporter asked Burns whether he thought a "G2" composed of the United States and China would emerge, where each side would not interfere in the other's so-called sphere of influence. In response to this question, Burns no longer pretended after his resignation.

"I don't know if President Trump had this intention. But a G2, a sphere of influence — 'we acknowledge that China can do whatever it wants in its surrounding areas' — that would be a historic mistake for the United States," he said first.

Subsequently, he claimed, "The Monroe Doctrine (the U.S. opposition to further European colonization in the Western Hemisphere) was formulated over 200 years ago, when the U.S. was a very small country. Now it is completely different, and the future of the U.S. lies in the Indo-Pacific region." He mentioned that four of the five largest economies in the world are located in the Indo-Pacific region. "I think the four strongest military powers in the world — Japan, the U.S., India, and China — are all in the Indo-Pacific region."

"Why should we tell the Chinese: 'This is your sphere of influence, we won't disturb you'?" Burns even asked the Japanese media reporter in this way.

Burns continued to insist, claiming that the U.S. is a so-called "Pacific nation," and stated, "When the Chinese say 'Asia belongs to Asians,' I will say, 'Wait a minute, we are a Pacific nation.'"

Burns being interviewed by Nikkei Asia

When asked to look ahead to how the international order would change in the second half of the 21st century, Burns claimed with a sense of self-satisfaction: "Of course, I hope the international order continues to be centered on and led by democratic countries."

"The Chinese like to criticize the various divisions within our country, and indeed, there are many divisions within our country. But I have always told them: 'Don't be misled. The U.S. occasionally experiences divisions, and it is the same now. But we have always been able to overcome these divisions. I think you underestimate the strength of our country and our institutions.'"

When talking about the current Sino-U.S. trade and economic relationship, the Japanese media reporter was concerned about what the goal of the U.S. President Trump was in reaching an agreement with China.

Burns believed one was the fentanyl issue, and the other was the issue of agricultural product exports. He said that China is the biggest market for U.S. agricultural product exports. For example, soybeans are a very important crop in the Midwest of the United States. Two years ago, the U.S. sold $14 billion worth of soybeans to China, but so far this fiscal year (starting from September), sales have been zero, which is a serious problem.

As a Democrat, Burns also believed that the Trump administration imposing such high tariffs on Japan and South Korea was wrong, because "allies come first," and alliance relationships are the most important.

At this point, Burns's "secret intentions" became clearly apparent again: "In my view, the U.S. and China can be considered as equal great powers. But if we add the U.S., Japan, the EU, Australia, and India, we can work together on the world stage to jointly contain China, and we would be much stronger. Our allies are the core of America's strategy."

Burns served as the 13th U.S. Ambassador to China from April 2022 to January 2025. After leaving office, he is currently a professor at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

On September 17, the U.S. public media organization GBH1 had previously released a video of Burns attending an event. In the event organized by the non-profit organization "World Boston," Burns "warned" that China's technological, military, and economic power is far more powerful than the U.S. imagines, and the U.S. cannot continue to underestimate China anymore.

In Burns's view, the Chinese leadership has strategic vision, and in terms of strategic layout, the U.S. finds it difficult to compete with China. He also refuted the claim that "the PLA hasn't fought a war for more than 40 years," saying that this underestimates China's military and technological power.

Regarding the Sino-U.S. competition, the Chinese position has always been clear: exaggerating competition is harmful and beneficial only in a few ways, and seeking cooperation is essential rather than an option. Facts have repeatedly proven that cooperation between the U.S. and China benefits both, while confrontation harms both. To break out of the logic of competition and confrontation, to take into account each other's interests and concerns, to seek the maximum common ground for exchanges and cooperation, and to draw the largest circle of win-win cooperation, will contribute the wisdom and strength of major powers to the development of both countries and the peace and development of the world.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7559763614920344105/

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