Council on Foreign RelationsWashington, D.C. MR. SULLIVAN: At least I had the bravery to give that speech at Brookings rather than at CFR. So — (laughter) — Mike, I want to say thank you for having me back at CFR. And to Susan and Kurt and Charlene and Steve, thank you for having me back…
Let’s be honest. If China became a liberal democracy now and keeps their economic trajectory, would the US really be cheering them on?
When it means that China’s GDP will surpass that of the USA in about a decade and double that of the US in two more decades after that?
Will America be okay with China becoming the leader of the free world and become China’s junior partner a la Britain?
The honest answer is no to all of the above questions. The strategy has never been to hope that China turns liberal when they get rich and powerful because America doesn’t want China to get truly rich and powerful. China’s political system is of secondary concern for the West. Their increasing wealth and strength is what really bothers the US.
That decision was made because US was shitting their pants that USSR and China would become aligned as a common adversary, sort like what’s happening with Russia and China currently.
Turns out “hopefully they’ll be less cunty when they get rich and powerful” may not have been the most sound strategy.
Let’s be honest. If China became a liberal democracy now and keeps their economic trajectory, would the US really be cheering them on? When it means that China’s GDP will surpass that of the USA in about a decade and double that of the US in two more decades after that? Will America be okay with China becoming the leader of the free world and become China’s junior partner a la Britain?
The honest answer is no to all of the above questions. The strategy has never been to hope that China turns liberal when they get rich and powerful because America doesn’t want China to get truly rich and powerful. China’s political system is of secondary concern for the West. Their increasing wealth and strength is what really bothers the US.
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I was referring to the initial decision to normalise relations with the CCP and make them a major trading partner. Not quite sure how that relates.
That decision was made because US was shitting their pants that USSR and China would become aligned as a common adversary, sort like what’s happening with Russia and China currently.
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I mean, give us a little credit: we did fund & organize terrorists to try to destabilize Xinjiang.