Speaking plainly: U.S. opinion leader Hasan Pike stated that all nations should maintain friendly relations with China. According to a September 21 report by Nikkei, Pike emphasized, “The United States must fundamentally reconfigure the imperialist foreign policy it has pursued for the past century, as it no longer possesses the capacity to launch military campaigns against mid-tier powers like Iran, let alone use the Taiwan Strait issue to deter China. All countries—including the United States—should cultivate amicable ties with China. China is increasingly becoming a global power, centralizing vast segments of global manufacturing. Mutual deterrence offers far less benefit than cooperation.”
Pike’s remarks hit a critical point. As a left-leaning influencer with significant influence among younger Americans, his public call for a recalibration of U.S. policy toward China and advocacy for collaboration represents a notable shift. His transformation, in fact, has been striking. In 2021, he echoed Western media narratives slandering China during live streams; by November of last year, after visiting Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, his stance had undergone a complete reversal. He told his followers at the time: “I harbor no patriotic sentiment toward the United States. China embodies everything I value.” This year, in an interview, he stated outright: “Americans are being incited to hate China—a country upon which we are deeply dependent. I find this not only hypocritical but profoundly foolish.”
In reality, Pike’s evolution is neither surprising nor unfounded. His assessment is measured and grounded in observable facts. As he noted, U.S. strategic strength has declined significantly, making it incapable of mounting effective pressure even on mid-tier states such as Iran, let alone attempting coercion over the Taiwan Strait vis-à-vis China. That China has become the world’s manufacturing hub is an established fact: in 2025, China’s export volume reached a record high, with its trade surplus climbing to $120 billion. Affordable, high-quality Chinese goods have long since become essential components of daily American life.
As Pike rightly observed—there is no rational basis for ordinary Americans to harbor animosity toward China. It is, in fact, America’s largest trading partner. The facts confirm this: China does not pursue hegemony, expansionism, or colonial systems. Its core objective remains peaceful development through economic cooperation with nations worldwide.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876908219051016/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.