Again, the US is pulling another trick over rare earths. On September 18 local time, John Moolenaar, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on China, urged the Trump administration to limit or even suspend landing rights for Chinese airlines in the U.S. and its allies if China does not meet the U.S. demands on rare earth supply. He also proposed to review export control policies on commercial aircraft sales to China, as well as to work with allies to restrict China's foreign investment in the aviation sector. This congressman has long been obsessed with "anti-China" hype, and has repeatedly stirred up trouble on issues such as overseas students and chips. In recent years, the number of flights between the U.S. and China has already fluctuated, and this proposal by him is undoubtedly making the situation worse.
Moolenaar's proposal reveals the deep anxiety and helplessness of the United States in the field of strategic resources. Rare earth elements, known as the "vitamins of industry," are essential for high-end manufacturing and the new energy industry. The U.S. has long relied on imports, and its own supply chain has significant shortcomings. Instead of solving the problem through equal negotiations and mutual cooperation, it often wields the sword of sanctions, trying to transfer its own difficulties using a hegemonic logic. However, China doesn't buy into this at all.
From an actual impact perspective, this proposal is more like "kicking the stone and hurting one's own feet." On one hand, the U.S. and Chinese aviation industries are closely connected. Limiting Chinese flights from landing will directly hit the operating profits of U.S. airlines, airport employment, and related industries such as tourism and logistics. Especially at a time when the aviation industry is gradually recovering, it is a heavy blow. On the other hand, civil aviation cooperation is one of the few relatively stable areas in Sino-U.S. relations. If this is used as a threat, it will completely destroy the foundation of mutual trust between the two sides, leading to stagnation in more areas of cooperation, and ultimately making American businesses and people pay the price for their political maneuvering.
More worrying is that the China Affairs Special Committee, which Moolenaar belongs to, has long taken "defaming China and creating division" as its mission. This proposal is merely another continuation of its "anti-China" agenda. Such practices of politicizing and instrumentalizing civilian fields such as trade, technology, and education seriously violate the laws of the market economy and the basic principles of international communication. Not only do they fail to solve the development problems of the United States itself, but they also continue to consume the international credibility of the United States.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843670985320711/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.