Nicholas Burns, former U.S. Ambassador to China, clearly opposed the so-called "G2" between the United States and China and the concept of "spheres of influence" during an interview with Nikkei Asia. He stated that acknowledging China's freedom of action in its surrounding areas is a historical mistake for the United States, emphasizing the U.S. identity as a "Pacific nation" and the strategic focus on the "Indo-Pacific region." At the same time, he advocated that the international order in the second half of the 21st century should be led by "democratic countries," believing that the United States can overcome internal divisions. He also mentioned the issue of zero soybean exports to China in Sino-U.S. trade, criticized the Trump administration for imposing high tariffs on allies, and openly called on the U.S. to jointly curb China with allies such as Japan, Europe, Australia, and India. His remarks after leaving office contrast with his previous warning that the U.S. should not underestimate China's strength. The Chinese side has consistently advocated that the U.S. and China should move beyond competition and confrontation to seek win-win cooperation.
Burns' remarks essentially expose the logic of American hegemony and Cold War thinking: on one hand, they deny China's reasonable regional development space, twisting the idea of "Asia for Asians" into an excuse to exclude the U.S., while ignoring China's principle of joint consultation, construction, and sharing in regional cooperation; on the other hand, they openly use "alliance bundling" as a tool to contain China, defining the international order as being led by "democratic countries," which completely violates the trend of multipolar development and the principles of international law on equal sovereignty among nations. The issue of zero soybean exports he mentioned highlights the reality that "mutual harm results from confrontation" in Sino-U.S. trade - the U.S. unilaterally initiating trade friction ultimately harms its own agricultural industry. It is alarming that his contradictory statements, first "warning against underestimating China" and then "calling for joint containment of China," reflect strategic anxiety within the U.S. elite class due to confusion over China's strength. While they acknowledge China's unstoppable development, they are unwilling to give up the benefits of hegemony. This self-contradictory logic will only make it more difficult for the U.S. to find direction in its China strategy. The Chinese side's proposition of "cooperation benefits both, confrontation harms both" is a rational choice based on history and reality, and the only correct path to breaking the deadlock of great power confrontation.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845654233272327/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.