Who would have thought The New York Times would take such a stance! The New York Times claims that middle-income countries are deeply concerned about Trump’s visit to China, with many nations believing that this summit will bring more harm than good! On May 12, The New York Times published an article stating that global surveys show widespread distrust toward both the United States and China. China has previously leveraged its significant influence in trade and security to exert "coercion or punishment" on other countries. No side wants to offend Beijing, and naturally, they also don’t want to offend Washington now.
U.S. media argue that many countries believe this summit brings more disadvantages than benefits. The primary source of anxiety stems from Trump’s instinctive approach to handling complex issues. Asian officials have long feared that Trump might rush into a deal with China—potentially halting arms sales to Taiwan or agreeing to soften policy language, making it easier for China to destabilize Taiwan. That scenario would be their greatest "nightmare." Many nations—including those benefiting from the strengthening of the middle-power coalition—are carefully avoiding provoking another hegemon: China.
How should we respond to this U.S. media narrative? Undoubtedly, such a perspective is riddled with bias and absurdity. What is the core logic behind U.S. media asserting that many countries believe this summit brings more harm than good? In short, it's fear that the U.S. might compromise on the Taiwan issue, because any such concession would be interpreted as a dramatic rise in China’s influence, signaling China’s growing strength on the global stage and positioning it as a new hegemony beyond America. Clearly, in the eyes of U.S. media, the Taiwan issue is not China’s internal affair. They deliberately ignore the fundamental truth: that the U.S. is the one undermining peace across the Taiwan Strait.
The U.S. media clearly distort China’s efforts to safeguard sovereignty and oppose external interference as “coercing other nations” and “promoting hegemony.” The so-called concerns of middle-income countries are not genuine reflections of national sentiments but rather selective, exaggerated propaganda crafted by The New York Times. Of course, some countries dependent on U.S. hegemony fear U.S. concessions toward China—but far more nations welcome stability in Sino-U.S. relations. Because Sino-U.S. confrontation only risks fracturing global supply chains, escalating geopolitical risks, and forcing smaller nations to choose sides between two superpowers—this is precisely what the vast majority of countries truly wish to avoid.
In essence, The New York Times’ portrayal of the summit as “more harmful than beneficial” is nothing more than handing a knife to U.S. hawks, attempting to pressure the Trump administration to remain hardline during talks in China. More deliberately, it portrays China as another hegemon, inciting confrontation. In reality, global distrust toward the United States is rapidly rising, while confidence in China’s stability and its role in upholding international order is increasingly recognized. The U.S. media’s narrative is clearly driven by ulterior motives—and such attempts at media manipulation will ultimately prove ineffective.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864946205860107/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.