America Competes, or Doesn’t She?
Zoe Hatsios
The “America Competes Act” was recently introduced in the U.S. House, the Senate version having passed months prior. It is intended to combat the bipartisan concern over the China threat, but clauses remain that are contributing to the bill’s stagnation on the floor. Everyone seems to realize that modern economic competition with China is becoming increasingly problematic, but congressional barriers are preventing action from following. As Asma Khalid, White House Correspondent at NPR put it, “It feels like the tenor of the conversation in the House doesn't really bode well for bipartisan consensus here, at least right now.”
It’s hard to believe in the midst of the U.S.-China trade crisis that in 2006, China was the United States’ second-largest trade partner. And during the global financial crisis of 2008, China became the largest U.S. foreign creditor – embodying the critical interdependence of the two countries. However, at the turn of the decade the trend began to emerge that we are increasingly seeing today. China’s GDP began to rise at an unprecedented rate for the region and in 2012, the revolutionary Xi Jinping replaced Hu Jintao as president of the country, only complicated by the rise of an undeniably polarized America in 2016. To any average person, these might seem as just a few people and simply a couple of dates. However, without the clashing, nationalistic, and anything-but-humble personalities of Xi and Trump, the route of the U.S.-China relationship may have not taken its’ ominous, seemingly endless path.
There’s one clear consensus, here: the U.S. and China each see themselves as the future hegemons of the global order, and neither is willing to afford concessions to their adversary. Yet, the challenge of breaching democracy to reach these goals is limiting the scope of U.S. progress. That’s why American policymakers are pushing legislation to “boost U.S. innovation” amongst other domestic reforms, rather than increasing intellectual property theft against the Chinese (which, ICMYI: is illegal). Ironically enough though, U.S. politics has created an additional barrier that is stunting growth towards combating Xi’s regime. Congressional deadlock due to heavy polarization is creating a situation where little can be made of critical issues. Unfortunately, the China problem needs to be dealt with rapidly and with careful diligence, and there is no room for a disunified front. If the U.S. can form an allied coalition with other adversarial powers such as Australia and the EU, in addition to domestic investments, Xi’s reign may be a laughing point for households in just a few years. Yet if, quite oppositely, his attempted One Belt, One Road initiative is to take hold – there is no telling what types of sanctions, warfare, and turmoil we are likely to see in the future.
The China problem won’t be dealt with tomorrow. But, American unification on the issue has the potential to be. If legislators are able to make swift concessions and forge an agreement, we can all take a breath when it comes to Xi’s aims. The passage of a comprehensive “America Competes Act” is an introductory, domestic step to rallying against the Xi regime, and when met with international agreement, can be halted before it’s too late. The coming year will be critical, and the following weeks of hearings and essential conversations will be telling as to how this conflict will unfold.