Harold Isaacs was an American political scientist who wrote Scratches on our Minds: American Images of China and India in 1955. He identified six stages of American attitudes toward China.
During the founding of the US there was “respect.” This was followed by “contempt” (1840–1905); “benevolence” (1905-1937); “admiration” (1937–1944); “disenchantment” (1944–1949); and “hostility” (after 1949). In 1990, historian Jonathan Spence updated Isaac’s model to include “reawakened curiosity” (1970–1974); “guileless fascination” (1974–1979); and “renewed skepticism” (1980s).
As we start the third decade of the 21st century, we would call it “fearful confusion.”
During the four years of the Trump administration, there seemed to be a hardline policy toward China as with the trade sanctions. Yet at the same time, the US knew that in any negotiations with North Korea, China would always be a key player.
But with the new Biden administration, we may be returning to the “bad old days”—at least for the Philippines—of 2012.
In April 2012, eight Chinese fishing vessels anchored in Panatag (Scarborough) shoal. The US mediated a deal whereby both China and the Philippines promised to withdraw their forces from the shoal. The Philippines complied with the “agreement” and withdrew. China did not. The US did nothing.
American diplomat John Roos wrote: “Diplomacy is fundamentally working with people, bringing people together to deal with difficult issues.” American humorist and newspaper columnist Will Rogers wrote, “Diplomacy is the art of saying ‘Nice doggie’ to a snarling dog until you can find a rock.”
During his presidential campaign in 2019, candidate Joseph Biden explained why he believed that concerns that China could eventually surpass the US as a world power and economic force were overstated. “China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man. I mean, you know, they’re not bad folks. But guess what? They’re not competition for us.”
Last week, during a televised Presidential Town Hall meeting, Biden warned that China will “eat our lunch” after speaking with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since becoming president.
That is only a US problem. This is not (more from Biden on his conversation with Xi Jinping): “And so the idea is, that I am not going to speak out against what he’s doing in Hong Kong, what he’s doing with the Uighurs in western mountains of China, trying to end the one China policy, by making it forceful… [Xi] gets it. Culturally there are different norms that each country and their leaders are expected to follow.”
Both former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and current Secretary Antony Blinken publicly agreed that China’s treatment of its Uighur and Muslim minority populations is genocide. But apparently to the US president, China’s policies are subject to interpretation based on a nation’s individual “cultural norms.” And besides, “Xi gets it,” whatever that means.
The White House said that Biden voiced concerns over China’s crackdown in Hong Kong and treatment of Muslims. But they made no mention of Biden’s televised remarks that “if you know anything about Chinese history, it has always been, the time when China has been victimized by the outer world is when they haven’t been unified at home,” going on to say that President Xi Jinping is aiming to achieve a “tightly controlled China.” Apparently, that is a good thing.
The way it is starting, it is going to be a long four years weathering the US position on China.