As US-China Tensions Increase, Democratic Nations Must Band Together

Published in Sankei News
(Japan) on 29 July 2020
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Dorothy Phoenix. Edited by Patricia Simoni.
The United States shut down a Chinese consulate in Houston, Texas that was serving as a hub for activities such as espionage and intellectual property theft. In retaliation, China closed down the U.S. consulate in Chengdu, Sichuan, which has led to an unprecedented situation of shutting down mutual diplomacy.

In a speech given by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the Trump administration's policy toward China, he sent a message about the situation. His remarks seem to be a declaration of full-scale confrontation with China.

Pompeo remarked that the Chinese Communist Party is "[exploiting] our free and open society," and he warned that "General Secretary Xi Jinping is a true believer in a bankrupt totalitarian ideology" with "desire for global hegemony of Chinese communism." He further emphasized that the "free world must triumph over this new tyranny."

His assessment is correct.

All democratic nations, including Japan, must share a sense of impending danger, and protect our sovereignty and national interests, our freedom and rule of law.

The important point is that Pompeo urges that necessity of building “a new alliance of democracies" to oppose China.

China has turned a deaf ear toward the Group of Seven major industrial nations’ leadership's concerns about its increasing control over Hong Kong, among other issues. It completely ignores complaints about its unlawful effective control over and militarization of the South China Sea. On the other hand, through covert economic power, the West is working to establish a majority position of influence on the international scene, by securing footholds in distant powerful countries, poor and developing nations that are seeking assistance, and even in international organizations.

Democratic nations with the same common values must unite to crush China's "desire for global hegemony.” The U.S. would be the most likely leader of such a new alliance.

In that case, President Donald Trump should personally lay the proper groundwork, raising the many issues related to China, and appeal to each country to form this union to deal with China. At the end of May, in a speech criticizing China's strengthening of control in Hong Kong, Trump displayed a steadfast stance of all-out confrontation with China.

There is some doubt about Trump's leadership skills to rally democratic nations, and his ability to take initiative in G-7 and the international stage. On that point, he must change his stance of disdain towards alliances that he has thus far held during his administration.

Japan has a deep relationship with both the U.S. and China; it cannot avoid the consequences of increased antagonism between the two countries. Neighboring democratic countries that are vulnerable to China's threat must seek to be ready to cooperate with the U.S. in facing the menace.



【主張】米中対立激化 民主主義陣営は結束せよ

米国は、スパイ行為や知的財産窃取の拠点だったとしてテキサス州ヒューストンの中国総領事館を閉鎖させた。

 中国は、対抗措置として、四川省成都市の米総領事館を接収し、米中対立は、互いの在外公館を閉鎖しあう異例の事態に発展した。

 ポンペオ米国務長官のトランプ政権の対中政策に関する演説は、こうしたさなかに発せられたメッセージである。中国への全面的な対決宣言といえよう。

 ポンペオ氏は、中国共産党は「われわれの自由で開かれた社会を食い物にした」と批判し、習近平国家主席については「全体主義の信奉者であり、覇権への野望を抱き続けている」と断じた。「自由社会は専制国家に勝たなければならない」とも強調した。

 この認識は正しい。

 日本を含む全ての民主主義国家が危機感を共有し、主権と国益、自由や法の支配を守り抜かねばならない。

 注目すべきは、ポンペオ氏が中国に対抗するため、「民主主義国家の新たな同盟」を構築する必要性を訴えたことだ。

 中国は、香港の統制強化への先進7カ国(G7)などの懸念の声に聞く耳を持たない。南シナ海の実効支配、軍事化を違法とする指摘は完全に無視している。その一方で経済力を背景に、欧米が距離を置く強権国家、援助を求める貧困国や途上国、さらには国際機関に浸透し、国際社会の「多数派」を形成しようとしている。
PR

 中国の「覇権への野望」を打ち砕くには、価値観を共有する民主主義国家の結束が欠かせない。そうした「新たな同盟」を米国が主導するというのだろう。

 ならばトランプ大統領が自ら、しかるべき場を設け、中国の諸問題を提起し、対処するための結束を各国に訴えるべきである。トランプ氏は5月末、香港の統制強化を批判した演説で、中国との全面対決への決意を示している。

 トランプ氏に問われているのは、民主主義国家を糾合する指導力と、G7などの国際舞台での行動力だ。これまでの同盟軽視の姿勢を改めねばならない。

 米中両国と関係の深い日本は、両国の対立激化と無縁ではいられない。中国の脅威にさらされている隣国、民主主義国家として、米国と協調して対立に関与していく覚悟が求められている。
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