More to fear from a weak China than one that is strong
Updated: 2016-03-18 07:37
By Chen Weihua(China Daily)
|
||||||||
US President Barack Obama delivers a statement on Iran at the White House in Washington, January 17, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] |
The latest cover story in The Atlantic written by Jeffrey Goldberg is quite telling of US President Barack Obama's foreign policy.
In the article, The Obama Doctrine, Goldberg reveals that the US leader has little interest in the Middle East, which he sees as quite bleak. That, surprisingly, also includes Saudi Arabia, a US ally in the region and the largest buyer of US weapons.
Talking on CBS' Face the Nation on Monday, Goldberg described Libya as Obama's Iraq. The United States and its NATO allies pursued regime change there by abusing a 2011 UN Security Council resolution.
Asia has been viewed by Obama as the most promising region. Based on his many interviews with Obama, Goldberg said Obama has made a "pivot to Asia" a paramount priority and he believes US economic future lies in Asia.
According to Goldberg, Obama has been focused on rebuilding the sometimes-threadbare ties between the US and its Asian treaty partners, and he is perpetually on the hunt for opportunities to draw other Asian nations into the US' orbit.
The article gave substance to the suspicion that the US has been trying to profit from the maritime territorial disputes between China and some of its neighbors and is seeking to drive a wedge between them.
This is manifested in Obama's approach to Vietnam. And Obama administration officials repeatedly hinted to Goldberg that Vietnam may one day host a permanent US military presence.
As to what country Obama considers the greatest challenge to the US in the coming decades, Obama said "in terms of traditional great-state relations, I do believe that the relationship between the United States and China is going to be the most critical".He said that one possibility is a China that is on a peaceful rise, which will share with the US the burden and responsibility of maintaining the international order, while the flip side is "not only do we see the potential for conflict with China, but we will find ourselves having more difficulty dealing with these other challenges that are going to come".
- Li: China-US ties will move forward
- China, US capable of ironing out differences
- China, US work 'extremely well' on drug issues: official
- China, US should boost cooperation, FM says
- China, US work together to police sea
- TPP has slight negative impact on China: US think tank
- China, US advance cooperation
- China, US should ensure smooth transition of relationship in election year: ambassador
- These university canteen dishes will blow your mind
- Eslite bookstore story reads like a page-turner
- World's biggest computer and software fair kicks off in Germany
- Aerial view of cole flower fields presents unique pastoral charm
- Largest blue diamond to appear at auction
- Journalists from around the world at Li's news conference
- Google's AlphaGo defeats Go grandmaster
- Emperor's seal set for auction in Hong Kong
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Anti-graft campaign targets poverty relief |
Cherry blossom signal arrival of spring |
In pictures: Destroying fake and shoddy products |
China's southernmost city to plant 500,000 trees |
Cavers make rare finds in Guangxi expedition |
Cutting hair for Longtaitou Festival |
Today's Top News
What ends Jeb Bush's White House hopes
Investigation for Nicolas's campaign
Will US-ASEAN meeting be good for region?
Accentuate the positive in Sino-US relations
Dangerous games on peninsula will have no winner
National Art Museum showing 400 puppets in new exhibition
Finest Chinese porcelains expected to fetch over $28 million
Monkey portraits by Chinese ink painting masters
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |