America’s love-hate relationship with China develops speedily. The latest setback in the bilateral relation is another fearsome “China Scare”. Actually, though, in America it is nothing new. The United States’ politics seems to need a “China Scare” from time to time.
Recall that nearly a storm started around the book The Coming Conflict with China in 2007. Its author was two US journalists formerly working in Beijing. The debate was anything but positive about the Sino-US relationship. It is true that China’s strategic aims in Asia are not completely the same with those of the US. However, the authors seemed to worry far too much by putting much emphasis on China’s military strength.
American interest groups are afraid of competing with Chinese imports, because more and more American consumers begin to find Chinese goods a much cheaper choice. So they held this political view that China’s rapid growth is not a blessing for all concerned. Instead it was being thought of as a force threatening other Asia economies and America’s too.
“President Obama encourages the transfer of money, industrial capacity and technology to China that will help its development but still threaten the US and its allies”, charges William Hawkins, a supporter for protecting US business and industry. Then there’s also people saying that China’s gain is basically on everyone else’s loss. An increasingly globalized and modernized nation of 1.3 billion is not a win-win for almost everyone. It’s a losing situation for everyone, but for China.
That’s absurd, I think.
Sure, China’s neighbors in Asia are worried about Chinese competition and they know they have to work harder in order to compete with China. However, it is unnecessarily sending scare by imagining that economic growth will be greatly reduced, domestic stock markets will get ruined and employment levels will become lower. Certainly, China’s economic progress will cause some tense moments. But, on the whole, Asia and the rest of the world will benefit from China’s success.
Some people on the mainland who want to protect Chinese industries would interfere to slow down market opening. On the other hand, the Obama administration’s decision to cut down on import quotas on foreign steel brought about world wide anger. That decision has made US strategic and economic allies in Asia and Europe angrier at America than at anything China has done lately. So who is the greater threat—China or the United States—to the world economy? Let’s just say that what continues to be needed in America’s relationship with China is not another “red scare”, but the three facts all too often missing: common sense, political maturity and intellectual honesty.
59. Which of the following is not a true statement?
A. China Scare is a fairly fresh phenomenon.
B. Sino-US relationship has aroused a negative debate.
C. Opinions on Chinese competition in economic progress vary.
D. The world will generally benefit from China’s economic growth.
60. William Hawkin reacted ________ to President Obama’s policy on China.
A. reasonably B. objectively C. respectfully D. negatively
61. Which may best serve as the title of the above passage?
A. America’s Love-hate Relationship with China B. Debate on Sino-US Relationship
C. Benefits or Threats from China and US? D. China Scare, Is It Real?