The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) hosted a Chinese delegation led by Amb. Yang Yanyi, (Former Head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union). She was accompanied by Mr Zhu Feng, Executive Director of China Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea, Nanjing University, Mr Luo Yi, Deputy Division Director, the Department of Asian Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Ms Chen Xiaoli, Second Secretary, the Department of Policy Planning of MFA. Lt Gen Ravi Sawhney presided over the interaction.
Amb. Yang Yanyi gave a briefing on the Chinese perspective on the US-China trade friction. She pointed o highlighted that the international order is going through a rapid change. In this new scenario, the US-led America first policy, unilateralism and protectionist were cause of major concern, she argued. The US is the biggest beneficiary of the trade that is supposed to be mutually beneficiary. On the issue of the Intellectual Property Right (IPR), the US is complaining about IPR theft. She argued that these claims are baseless and instead the trade between the US and China has increased. In 2018 the trading goods, between both the sides was USD 630 billion that is 258 fold increase. Additionally, the US is China’s biggest market.
Ms Yanyi raised four points to validate her argument. Firstly, the progress China has made in science and technology is because of the large investment it has made in science education, innovation, research and development over the years. The advancement in science and technology was due to the hard work of the successive Chinese generations. There is no forced transfer against the wishes of the American partner. Secondly, the domestic structural economic factors of the US are the root causes of the American ills. The America industrialists are generating huge profits but not sharing with others. The current administration in the US is taking the short-cut method by blaming others and not going for self-introspection. Thirdly, the consequence of ‘America first’ and unilateralism are dire. Fourthly, US withdrawal from Trans-Pacific Partnership, climate change and the travel ban coupled with the ferocious attack on global companies such as Huawei is dangerous. This is symptomatic of the US ambition. She raised the issue of the world order and stated that the crux of the issue was the kind of world order for which the countries stand for. She added that the present international order has been a source of hope and China will support a rule-based order. Amb. Yanyi was hopeful about the resumption of talks between the interlocutors.
On the US-China trade friction, the delegation further explained that the US was using China as a scapegoat. The US has a habit of switching sides and this is the real nature of world politics. They have used China as scapegoat as a result of which Donald Trump’s rating has increased. The Chinese delegation proposed that the US should aim at co-development. The delegation reiterated that in the US domestically the wealth goes to the one per cent of the population. It is a rich economy but not a fair one. There is no equality of distribution in the US. Donald Trump is using this opportunity to divert attention. For big powers like the US, the real competition is not China but their own domestic situation. The delegation pointed out that the US has failed to deliver on the good governance issues.
The briefing was followed by a much discussion. The salient points of the discussion were as follows:-
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