China Waves its Sickle

China Daily states:


Engaging with China has always been a political compulsion for US administrations. Former US president Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia" strategy and incumbent President Donald Trump's "Indo-Pacific" strategy suggest the United States will increase its presence in Asia. Though the "Indo-Pacific" strategy is still a work in progress, it is set to pose new challenges to the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, and regional cooperation as a whole. The foremost of those challenges is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear issue, where China and the US still have much room for cooperation, and fortunately some substantial efforts in that direction are being made. But the de-escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and the ultimate resolution to the issue depend on continued cooperation between China and the US. Or else, it will become even more difficult to resolve the issue. China plays an important but limited role in the issue, and what the US expects it to do is simply not possible, as the two sides employ different approaches to resolve the issue. Besides, other issues such as the Tai-wan question may jeopardize Sino-US relations.

 When a country with a nuclear capability threatens to obliterate you, perhaps you should not just try to "engage" them. As it stands, no one has threatened China. The US on the other hand has both NOKO and Iran threatening death to America. With Iran we allow students to come here and study nuclear engineering, perhaps a rather risky strategy. For NOKO we really should be tracking and articulating the sources of their capabilities. Complex guidance systems are well beyond the expertise of NOKO, but well within that of China. Cooperation between the US and China are of course important. But that cooperation is made nil by cooperation between China and NOKO.

As for Taiwan, that is a question between China and Taiwan. Regrettably Taiwan can look at Hong Kong and wonder if any deal would be worth it.