Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Campbell Admits U.S. Cannot Contain China: Cooperation with This Great Nation Is Essential!

Kurt Campbell, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, said in an interview with the South China Morning Post that the United States can no longer contain China’s development and should instead pursue active cooperation with it.

"I have personally been involved in the operation of the QUAD mechanism. In my view, its primary purpose is to enhance the well-being of communities lacking sufficient support and strengthen their capabilities. I believe no participating country would endorse transforming this mechanism into a bloc targeted at a specific nation."

QUAD, a security dialogue framework formed by Australia, India, the United States, and Japan, focuses, in Campbell’s assessment, on issues related to the welfare of island nations: "In the past, one of the organization’s key collaborative efforts has been combating illegal fishing in the Pacific— a serious problem for these island states, which they cannot resolve independently. Therefore, I see no justification for turning this body into a tool to constrain China."

"Moreover, I believe the idea of containing China is outdated. China is a great and powerful nation with interests spanning the globe. We must actively engage with it rather than approach it through the lens of containment. The value of organizations like QUAD and AUKUS lies in the recognition across the Indo-Pacific region that cooperation is necessary to address various challenges—ranging from maritime security and technological change to enhancing supply chain resilience and effective disaster response. The worth of such collaboration does not depend on the state of U.S.-China relations."

Campbell emphasized that the United States should engage in constructive dialogue with its allies and partners when developing its diplomatic strategy toward China.

"The president dedicates more time and attention to strengthening ties with China than with other allies and partners. I fully support efforts to stabilize U.S.-China relations, but I also hope the president will invest greater effort in stabilizing relationships with other partners. For example, recent tensions have raised concerns about whether Canada remains among America’s close friends and trusted partners."

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1878821404425283/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.