Editor's note: The U.S. has decided to ban the use of short-video app TikTok in the country. CGTN believes the U.S. uses national security as an excuse to cover ulterior motives on multiple issues, which could lead to a much higher cost for almost everyone. Check out this video to hear his argument.

In America, national security has been conveniently breached.

Donald Trump cited "national security" 317 times since his inauguration. But is America less safe now than before?

From blocking Broadcom's takeover to the publication of Bolton's book, blocking shipments of semiconductors and the TikTok ban, all of these decisions have been made in the name of "national security."

For companies like Huawei or TikTok's owner, ByteDance, this is a significant blow. But the negative impact goes beyond China's borders: it hurts America as well. American partners lose revenue and American users lose choices. Both nations suffer and instead of creating a safe environment, those hostilities actually create a feeling of insecurity.

Can these walls drive away foreign businesses?

Huawei reported a 13.1 percent rise in half-year revenue this year, despite the U.S. ban. And if the U.S. decides to shut down TikTok, the app could lose millions of American users. But all the other users will remain and new ones in other parts of the world will be added.

As Adam Smith pointed out, if any branch of trade is advantageous to the public, the freer the competition, it will always be the more so. A successful business will grow because it serves a need and the need will be there. Sooner or later, supply will meet demand. That is why market works and edicts don't.

Another example is space exploration. At the end of July, both China and the U.S. sent spacecraft to Mars. China's Tianwen-1 plans to orbit, land and rove on Mars, while NASA's Perseverance plans to seek signs of life on the planet. Ideally, the two space powers should coordinate their endeavors, share data and expenses, and identify common goals. That will cover more areas with less money.

But how can I trust someone if I see him as hostile? The Wolf Amendment, which was passed into law in the U.S. in 2011, blocked every possibility for NASA to work with CNSA. And yes, this too was done for "national security." But even during the Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union found a way to cooperate in space. Ironically, citing the same national security, American scientists have been saying: China has become a vital player in space, and leaving it alone will make America blind, and thus less safe. We live in an era of globalization, but we are still thinking like the Cold War.

What is different from the Cold War is China. China is not the Soviet Union. It would be inconceivable to cut off ties. A new study from MacroPolo – a think tank run by Paulson Institute, shows nearly one-third of U.S. AI researchers come from China. More than 88 percent of Chinese Ph.D. students in AI work in the U.S. Brains from the two sides are not only working together but evolving together.

Choosing to cut off ties could mean an unnecessary and expensive divergence of the path for both countries and the world. It would be another Cold War, but in a different dimension, and with a high price tag.

The real question is: in a post-COVID world, are people ready to pay the cost? Who is going to pay, and what if they don't? If we don't think through these questions, we will be in deep trouble sooner or later and very possibly sooner than we think.

Editing & design: Li Linxi 

Video editor: Keerqinfu, Li Fangke

Senior producer: Ge Jing 

Managing director: Mei Yan 

Supervisor: Fan Yun 

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)