America syndrome

The threat to its global hegemony, perceived or real, compels the United States to accuse China, which is fast rising as a world economic power, of expansionism that in turn is an excuse in its containment effort.

The recent advances of China, particularly in science with its recent successful moon expedition, raise the anxiety level of the United States as it equates technology advances to military power.

In contrast, the great American nation appears headed for a meltdown.

Recent history proved that the United States and not China has been involved in armed conflicts.

In a study, Eurasia Future analyst Adam Garrie said since 1980, China has not been involved in any war, foreign regime change and overseas bombing campaign.

In contrast, the US has made war upon, bombed or fomented regime change abroad on 19 separate occasions.

The closest China came to war since 1980 was a short and ultimately bloodless standoff with India in 1987 due to a border dispute.

The US has been engaged in some variety of armed conflicts abroad nearly every year since 1980 and literally every year since 2001.

Garrie listed wars involving the US since 1980 which are those in Lebanon (1982-84); Grenada (1983); Libya (1986); Iran-Iraq War (1980-89); Contra insurgency/Iran Contra (throughout the 1980s); Panama (1989-90); Iraq (1990-91); Somalia (1992-1995); Bosnia, Yugoslavia (1992-1995); Haiti (1994-95); Sudan (1998); Iraq (1998); Serbia, Yugoslavia (1999); Afghanistan (2001-present); Iraq (2003-present); Pakistan bombing campaigns (2004-present); Libya (2011-present); Syria (2011/2014-present) and Yemen (2015-present).

“It is not coincidental that since 1980, China’s economy has grown, more people have been lifted out of poverty in the shortest period of time in all of human history, productivity has increased, innovation has become central to China’s industrial model and the public purse has remained generally healthy. The same cannot be said for the United States,” Garrie said.

The economic insecurity is also rising over the years.

Garrie said the US experienced economic recession and high inflation in the beginning of the 1980s and a severe stock market crash in 1987. Economic difficulties had periodically recurred from the early 1990s to the turn of the 21st century.

US public debt and the overall deficit have expanded greatly while the value of the dollar remains far lower than any time in the past.

“It is not a coincidence that many of the worst conflicts of the 20th century also served to bankrupt nations whilst even more importantly, rendering once powerful currencies weaker in the aftermath of the fighting,” Garrie said.

China has kept its economy humming, in contrast, while avoiding military friction.

By refraining from engaging in foreign wars and other conflicts, China has largely insulated itself from the pangs and misfortunes wrought upon an economy of a nation at war.

“While there are multiple reasons behind China’s economic success since Deng Xiaoping’s Reform and Opening Up of December 1978, it cannot be ignored that the last war China fought in ended in March of 1979. Thus, there is a clear coloration between China turning its back on war and opening itself to a model of peace through prosperity,” Garrie said.

China seeks to avoid wasting its hard-earned wealth on death, violence and foreign domination. Its cooperative Belt and Road model invites partner nations to likewise reject war and embrace the peace through prosperity model that is people-centered in line with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s philosophy.

US President Donald Trump has abandoned the Trans-Pacific Partnership scheme that was meant to challenge China’s dominance in the region by American integration of Asian economies.

China is now seen as a model for economic development while the US mainly depended on conflict to resurrect its flagging economy.

China’s rejection of military aggression serves as a model throughout the world, including the US, in replacing the red blood of war with the golden hue of sustainable prosperity, according to Garrie.

Similar to the yellow hypocrisy that hounds President Rody Duterte no end, China’s bane are American impositions which the superpower undertakes through its containment efforts.