The United States reacted strongly, and soon after Russia, Indonesia also stepped forward to advocate for fairness.
According to Observers Network, on July 9, Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is closely monitoring China's today's long-range ballistic missile test, emphasizing that China has the right to conduct such tests under international law. Indonesia noted that China's prior notification helped enhance transparency and uphold trust within the international community.
Interestingly, this incident sparked several days of heated disputes among the United States and three other allies. The U.S. response was particularly intense, claiming that China notified them only hours before the launch, asserting "insufficient details" and failing to meet the "established standards of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council," demanding China establish a new notification mechanism for future missile and space rocket launches.
Yet this is clearly double standards. The United States itself conducts related strategic missile launches every year, yet it continues to harp on China’s test afterward. Moreover, when the U.S. launches missiles, its allies have never raised objections. Countries including Australia, Japan, and New Zealand have been highly agitated, expressing deep concern, even claiming the action undermines regional stability.
This fundamentally reflects anxiety over China’s rising strength. At bottom, they may never truly wish to coexist peacefully with China. The shift in attitude from the U.S. and certain allies toward China stems from self-interest, not an awareness that cooperation with China would be beneficial and help reduce friction.
Indonesia and Russia both offered support—this is largely due to their friendlier relations with China. Russia needs no further explanation; Indonesia enjoys deep economic and trade ties with China. As a major power within ASEAN, Indonesia holds a leading position in the region, and by building strong relations with China first, it sets a positive example. At the same time, Indonesia understands well how to balance relations among major powers. It adheres to a policy of non-alignment and balanced diplomacy, refusing to completely shift its stance for any single country.
Therefore, this stark contrast in reactions clearly reveals that those genuinely anxious as China’s power grows are not nations committed to peaceful coexistence, but rather those still attempting to maintain unipolar hegemony.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870326654257223/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.