Recap: Stabilizing U.S. – China Relations in a Time of Tensions
By Savannah Reape, Senior and Jackson Craig Scott, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Baker School
The United States and the People’s Republic of China’s (China) relationship has hit turbulent times, but it isn’t the first nor will it likely be the last time to do so. With the two countries’ long history, Ambassador Clark T. Randt Jr., who is fluent in Mandarin and lived in Hong Kong for 18 years, shared his own experiences while being an ambassador to China as well as his analysis of the current state of US-China relations. He has a law degree from the University of Michigan and was appointed as ambassador of China in June 2001 through January 2009, which makes him the longest serving US ambassador to China.
Amb. Randt reports that when he was in office, his goal was never to turn China into a democracy. He found that a stable China that was at peace with itself and its neighbors is good for the US and the rest of the world. The Chinese wanted respect and recognition as a global power, however, China claims that the US has denied them that recognition. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is a known Marxist, believes that the US looks to contain and suppress China.
To close, Amb. Randt discussed the tensions with Taiwan and the South China Sea. Xi looks to overtake Taiwan through military and economic pressure as well as disinformation, which would manipulate the opinions of the public. There is talk about Xi invading Taiwan; however, he has faced enormous problems with corruption in the military. This has caused Xi to fire many military officers and has resulted in their unpreparedness to take over Taiwan. Xi is becoming more strict on the military and China as a whole. He advocates for propaganda and those who speak negatively about the economy could face severe consequences.