Q: How do American allies balance their dependence on US economic and military strength with expanding relations with China?

A:

They used to balance by separating the economy from the ideology. Since Trump made the economy a geopolitical tool openly in 2018, they cannot balance the economic relations with China and geopolitical alignment with the US anymore.

When almost every economic acticities become a “national security” issue, American allies are doomed. When they endorse the US trade war, they are committing economic suicide.

There will be no stable economic relationship when there is no political trust. In the New Cold War, the American allies have no political trust in China. Every business with China is a national threat. That’s why Trump can put tariffs on its allies and claim Greenland and Canada openly. The US allies have no way out. China cannot save the US allies when they view China as a enermy. Trump is smart. He knows its allies are vulnerable.

Developed countries are good at science and technology, and have a solid industrial foundation and control of resources that are more than their proportion. Yet these goodies have no value when they have no world market. A world market without China is not large enough for the level of technological advancement today. That’s why the West's policies towards China are in such a state of schizophrenia. They just reached a trade deal with China today, and they will wage another round of trade war from another front tomorrow. It’s pathetic.

China is not our enemy. The New Cold War against China kills our economy and sabotages our prosperity. Technology is advancing at an exponential speed, and so is the deterioration of our society. Containing China costs hugely with a negative gain. Stopping the New Cold War against China is the only way out for American allies.