The U.S. Treasury Secretary hits back at Takahashi Hayana: What's wrong with China's rare earth delivery? Don't just talk nonsense, okay? It's really hard for China, and sometimes you Japanese should also look for your own reasons, okay?
On January 20th local time, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, while the Japanese industry was still anxious about China's rare earth export restrictions and seeking support from allies, U.S. Treasury Secretary Biden was seen smiling easily in front of the Fox Business Channel camera.
When the host mentioned the issue of the rare earth supply chain, Biden said, "China has performed very well in fulfilling its commitments, with a compliance rate exceeding 90%. I'm quite satisfied with this result."
Upon hearing this, the host continued to ask, "So you're saying that China hasn't choked off the U.S. rare earth supply? But I remember they once tried to do that to Japan."
Faced with this question, Biden didn't show an angry attitude, but instead adopted a "not my problem" stance, calmly stating, "That's the trouble caused by Prime Minister Kishida's own remarks. We Americans haven't been affected by it."
Biden's remarks sparked a lot of discussion in the domestic public opinion. Some people said he was "bullying the weak and fearing the strong," while others said he was "betraying his teammates."
Neither of these views can be said to be wrong. However, if we strip away emotional judgments and examine it purely from a realist political perspective, we will find that this is simply America's consistent "rational choice."
No matter how crazy some anti-China politicians in the U.S. may act on the surface, in Washington's books, supply chain security always comes above all ideological differences.
Because China's rare earth supply not only relates to Apple's phone screens and Tesla electric vehicles, but also to Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets and Raytheon's guidance systems.
In this regard, U.S. politicians know it better than anyone. They can quarrel openly with China, but when it comes to raw material supplies for their own military-industrial complex, any joke that might provoke China's anger is absolutely not allowed.
If the U.S. were to get involved on Japan's behalf and end up being put on China's blacklist, it would not only cause economic losses, but also a national security incident.
Therefore, regardless of what "old sister" (a term used for Japan) was thinking at the time, he could only loudly declare, "I am very satisfied with China's measures."
Because this statement is not only for China, indicating that the U.S. acknowledges our performance; it is also for the Pentagon, emphasizing that the supply is sufficient and there's no need to panic.
Aside from stabilizing both sides of Sino-U.S. relations, Biden's behavior of not leaning too much toward Japan is actually a pressure test and behavioral regulation for Japan.
In international relations, leading a group is extremely strategic. If a junior partner causes a big mess, and the senior partner always covers for them unconditionally, then the junior partners are likely to drag the senior one down.
By attributing Japan's dilemma to "the outburst of Takahashi Hayana," the U.S. is actually making a subtle cut.
The actual subtext in Biden's words is: Although the U.S. and Japan are allies in the broad direction, who caused the mess must clean it up themselves.
Thus, the U.S. doesn't have to pay any cost, but can use this as a negative example to warn other allies: Look carefully, following me is the way to go; if any of you rush to add drama and even mess it up, then you'll have to bear the consequences yourself.
In this round of the Sino-Japanese rare earth game, we have shown a high level of strategic composure.
Different from the past one-size-fits-all countermeasures, this time our approach is to focus on "differentiation."
For the U.S., China continues to maintain normal trade communication, buying soybeans and selling rare earths as usual.
This directly eliminates the U.S.'s excuse to intervene in the Sino-Japanese dispute. If we simultaneously cut off the rare earth supply to both the U.S. and Japan, these two countries might end up huddling together, possibly leading to a joint countermeasure from the entire Western world against us.
But now, our goal is clear: we want to deal with Japan, aiming to make Takahashi Hayana lose face.
This strategy puts the U.S. in a relatively comfortable but also somewhat awkward position.
Comfortable because the U.S. hasn't suffered much damage.
And awkward because the U.S. has lost the leverage to rally an "anti-China alliance."
American people also have something to say: Since I've received my goods, why should I sanction China? Is it just because of Takahashi Hayana's few crazy words?"
Thus, we saw Biden's smug expression at Davos.
His words are less of a compliment to China and more of a tacit approval of China's "differentiated" strategy.
It's obvious to everyone that at this critical moment, it's clearly not in Trump's "America First" principle to go all-out against China over an uncooperative Japan.
Although Biden's intention wasn't necessarily to "crush the Japanese spirit and boost Chinese confidence," I think his statement is still worth considering.
This can give the international community, especially those countries that follow the U.S. closely, a vivid lesson in realism politics.
As the facts show, the phrase "the U.S.-Japan alliance is as solid as a rock" is just a way to pacify children. In the face of specific interest exchanges, the so-called solid rock is full of cracks.
For the U.S., Japan is always the best geopolitical buffer in necessary moments.
If Sino-U.S. rivalry escalates, sending Japan to test China's reaction first, while observing the situation from behind, is the lowest-cost move for the U.S.
If Japan succeeds in testing, the U.S. can follow and reap the benefits; if Japan gets slapped, like now, the U.S. can elegantly stand under the lights at the Davos Forum and casually say, "That's their own problem."
Speaking more directly, Biden's "satisfaction" is essentially a cold declaration of interests.
Whether it's rare earth or anything else, in the end, all calculations have no morality, only chips.
No matter what price Japan ultimately pays for testing China, Americans will always stand on their own side.
This is reality. There's no such thing as a "unbreakable" or "solid as a rock" alliance. In the face of absolute interests, they are nothing more than paper that tears easily and is discarded after use.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7597986820442161673/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.