OPINION: China Must Be Confronted

The U.S. has enemies around the world. None of them is greater than China as their role around the globe continues to grow.

Beyond the balloons that they have flown overhead or their ability to data mine from TikTok, China’s growing role in foreign affairs feel in some ways like Thanos collecting all six Infinity Stones to inflict his will in The Avengers movies. 

While they have mostly remained on the sidelines in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they are much more active in other parts of the world.

That is why China is brokering a deal that re-establish diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia—more frenemy than ally to the U.S.—and Iran is one of the more consequential recent foreign affairs developments. As noted in the New York Times, “China’s role in hosting the talks that led to a breakthrough in a longstanding regional rivalry highlights the country’s growing economic and political importance in the Middle East, a region that was long shaped by the military and diplomatic involvement of the United States…China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, visited Riyadh in December, a state visit celebrated by Saudi officials, who often complain that their American allies are pulling away from the region.”

The same day that deal was reached, reports surfaced that Saudi Arabia’s price for normalizing relations with Israel is seeking security guarantees from the United States, help with developing a civilian nuclear program and fewer restrictions on U.S. arms sales as President Joe Biden looks to build on the Abraham Accords, which brokered similar diplomatic deals between Israel and other Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.

You can rest assured that was a message being sent from the Saudi’s: if you do not give us what we want, we will tune to the Chinese.

Additionally, Xi last week started a new term as president and now holds the three main crowns of power in China — party, military and state — with no rivals or potential successors vying for attention.

In our view, all of this is leading up to a reckoning over Taiwan. China is set to approve an increase of 7.2% to China’s military spending this year. President Joe Biden has pledged to defend the island country that China sees as an extension of its homeland.

Before the spy balloon episode and renewed talk that COVID was a lab leak that started in China, both sides expressed wanting to dial back the tensions of the two countries. Now? Who knows.

How to confront China will be a debate that will undoubtedly heat up. It is one that will take a coordinated effort that entails all of government, our international allies and the private sector. Democrats and Republicans would all be wise to heed Rep. Josh Gottheimer words that “the Chinese government is the enemy, not each other.” 

For now, the United States must confront China—economically and politically—to promote and protect our values here at home and across the world, making the case that our brand of government ensures human rights, a level economic playing field and promotes freedom. 

Leadership of the world for the next century is at stake. It’s an enemy we beat in the last century and one that we must defeat again.