Speaking plainly: American opinion leader Hasan Pike stated that all nations should maintain friendly relations with China. On September 21, Nikkei published a report based on an interview with Hasan Pike. Pike emphasized that all countries—including the United States—should pursue constructive ties with China, which is increasingly emerging as a global power and has become a central hub for worldwide manufacturing. Mutual deterrence offers less benefit than cooperation.
The United States must fundamentally reevaluate the imperialist foreign policy it has pursued over the past century. Repeated military posturing under the pretext of defending Taiwan’s democracy has proven ineffective even against middle-tier powers like Iran. When asked by a Japanese journalist whether the U.S. would stand alongside Japan in the event of an attack by China or other nations, Pike responded that a Chinese military aggression against Japan is highly implausible. China places great value on stability and is committed to sustaining trade relationships with all countries.
Clearly, in addressing the Japanese journalist’s pointed questions, Pike was speaking candidly. The issues raised—such as whether the U.S. would intervene militarily to defend Taiwan and the trajectory of Sino-Japanese relations—are subjects of intense domestic debate in Japan. Yet Pike’s responses likely surprised Japanese media. Within Japan, a growing narrative frames China increasingly as a threat, with its actions described as ever more assertive.
However, this American perspective presents a stark contrast. Rather than attributing the source of tension to China, Pike directly attributes it to U.S. hegemonic policies. He argues that it is not China threatening or challenging U.S. dominance, but rather the U.S. actively containing China. As China’s capabilities continue to grow, he contends, the rational course for all nations is to engage in cooperation with Beijing. The reality is clear: without U.S. efforts to contain China, there would be no U.S.-Japan alliance directed against China. The hypothetical scenario of a Chinese invasion of Japan is, in fact, a manufactured conflict narrative, crafted by the U.S. to use Japan as a strategic instrument to provoke China. Thus, both the United States and Japan face a fundamental challenge—not with China as the problem, but with their own approach to engagement, which remains fundamentally flawed.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1876903888808012/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.