Great Concern over the US Anachronistic ‘Anti-China Economic Bloc’ Plan

The Trump administration suggested that South Korea join the U.S.-led Economic Prosperity Network, an anti-China economic bloc. In a special teleconference for the Asian-Pacific region on May 20, U.S. Undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach said that “we talked about the Economic Prosperity Network initiative to unite countries like the United States and the Republic of Korea,” and that “the Economic Prosperity Network is a number of countries— to unite countries, companies, and civil society around the world based on the foundation of trust, and they will operate under the same set of values in critical industries.” He also said that “the Republic of Korea is a great ally for the United States. Our nations have deep, comprehensive ties. Our people share common values which make for a trusted partnership.” This obviously means that the United States is attempting to pull Korea into an industrial and defensive alliance in an effort to isolate China from the global supply chain after the COVID-19 situation. In an age where cooperation has become a universal value, one cannot help but be concerned over the anachronistic plan of the United States to create an anti-China economic bloc.

The United State’s plan to isolate China is also apparent in a report on "The United States' Strategic Approach to China" submitted by the White House and the Department of Defense to Congress on May 21. The report shows that the United States is pushing for allies like Korea to participate in the isolation of China, in an effort to thwart China’s bid for supremacy. This situation is so serious that some say that it was the proclamation of a new cold war between the U.S. and China.

It seems the aggression of the U.S. toward China is part of a political calculation by President Donald Trump to rally his supporters after his failures to contain COVID-19 and the resulting economic turmoil in the face of the upcoming November election. However, it is hard to simply think of this as President Trump’s short-term, one-man show. It is right to say that the present situation is creating a sentiment among the American public in favor of a new cold war between the U.S. and China. Because of China’s refusal to bow to American pressure and insistence on fighting back, storm clouds are brewing over the international political situation.

If the new cold war between the United States and China grows worse, the pressure on Korea to join the anti-China alliance will only grow. In the event that the conflict between the two nations grows and the tensions reach their breaking point, it is possible that the South Korean diplomatic strategy of maintaining a strategic ambiguity between the two powers will fail. Considering South Korea’s relationships with both China and the United States, this is a situation in which it cannot side with one nation against the other. It is a dilemma for Korean diplomacy. For now, until the U.S. elections, Korea must do its best to muster all of its diplomatic power in order to not worsen the situation. Furthermore, in order to navigate the era of the new cold war between the U.S. and China, Korea must also create new diplomatic strategies. Korea cannot exist like "a shrimp caught in a whale fight" forever.