The United States has a strong sense of mission to wave its flags in the Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific.

A flag bearer should stand in front of the team. But the US seems to have no ability to do so now. It is gradually withdrawing from the front lines to the middle of the team.

The heavy burden of its economic recession and two-party political games distract its power and attention. In this case, the easiest way out is to find a scapegoat for domestic discontent to release internal tension.

China-bashing is always in the repertoire of US presidential candidates, and this year is no exception. Chinese companies are called a threat to US security, and China is blamed for taking jobs from that country. Heavy tariffs are placed on some of China's exports to the US.

It seems to some that only after China is eliminated from the US market can the US economy recovers from the recession. Of course, this does not make any sense.

This year's election will be a close one because neither President Barack Obama nor former Governor Mitt Romney has the voters'confidence that they can get the economy back on track -- the issue related to the structural maladies of the US.

So the urgent task for the US is to manage its own country well. It is no longer competent to do several jobs at the same time. The US should put down the flags of democracy in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.

Finding the right remedies for the cases is the only rational choice. If US politicians always resort to solving domestic troubles through interfering in foreign issues or finding a scapegoat, they will never overcome their difficulties at home.

The US proclaims time and again that its system has the ability to heal itself. It is about time that the US prove it to the world.

Translated by Li Yang from People's Daily