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17:07, 31-Jan-2018
Expert: China and Russia are scapegoats of America
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China and Russia are being used as scapegoats for America's shortcomings, says a Chinese specialist on American geopolitics.
Gong Ting, an assistant research fellow at the Department for American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, was giving her reaction to CGTN after US President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening.
The ‘China Threat’ theory
When it comes to Trump calling China and Russia's interests and values "dangerous" and using them as a reason to rebuild the US nuclear arsenal, Gong argues that, by repeating the political rhetoric, China and Russia have become “scapegoats” for America's domestic problems.
As for the reason why the US repeatedly forwards the "China Threat" theory, Gong explains that in the eyes of the Trump administration, the way China and Russia develop and modernize is different from how America did. Therefore, this difference has been misinterpreted and exaggerated as “dangerous.”
US President Donald Trump delivering his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill on Jan. 30. /VCG Photo
US President Donald Trump delivering his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill on Jan. 30. /VCG Photo
Trump’s tariffs on solar panels, washing machines
The recent US decision to impose tariffs on imported solar panels and washing machines will have a negative impact on many countries, including China. How does this sort of protectionism affect China and the rest of the world?
According to Gong, firstly, protectionism, especially tariffs on imported solar panels and washing machines, will hurt American customers at home because of the rising cost to consumers.
Secondly, China is just one of a number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region that will be hurt.
“Take the washing machine for example, countries like Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, including America’s aligned countries in the Asia-Pacific, they export more washing machines to the United States than China, so all these countries will be affected,” Gong said.