The U.S. elite begin to question whether the Cold War against China has lost the chance to catch up.

The United States has abandoned the Cold War against China: American elites are beginning to question whether the U.S. has already lost the possibility of catching up in this competition.

In January 2026, the direction of geopolitics was unexpected. A year ago, when Trump returned to the White House, Washington generally predicted that the "new Cold War" would escalate sharply. However, a year later, although the U.S. launched a military operation in Venezuela, coveted Greenland, and distanced itself from Europe, it unexpectedly saw Canada shift toward China - its most intimate ally even signed an electric vehicle agreement with Beijing.

Beneath this diplomatic chaos lies a deeper transformation: the U.S. seems to be abandoning the Cold War against China. Instead of increasing pressure, the Trump administration reduced tariffs on China, eased AI chip export restrictions under the guise of national security, and even showed indifference on the Taiwan issue. When asked about allies shifting toward China, Trump even called it "a good thing."

This is not just policy fluctuation, but a major shift in the mindset of the American elite. The hawkish narrative that "China must be defeated" is gradually being replaced by a mix of awe and anxiety, a sense of fate.

The data is staggering: China accounts for 70% of global electric vehicle production and 90% of the battery market; in 2024, the output of China's state-owned shipyards exceeded the total of the U.S. over 80 years since World War II; its scale of infrastructure construction and urbanization is beyond the reach of the West.

American elites are beginning to question whether the U.S. has already lost the possibility of catching up in this competition.

Twenty years ago, the U.S. arrogantly predicted that the Chinese model would inevitably collapse; ten years ago, hawks were still anxious about how to contain it; now, Washington is filled with anxiety about whether the "game has already ended."

This shift is extremely confusing for a country accustomed to hegemony. The article concludes that the U.S. may be using aggressive behavior towards old allies to mask its deep sense of helplessness and uncertainty about the future when facing a real opponent.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1854991354843465/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.