Illustration: Chen Xia/GT
When the heads of CIA and MI6 appeared together publicly for the first time in their 77-year intelligence-sharing partnership over the weekend, they warned of an "unprecedented array of threats." Surprise, surprise, China is included. Immediately following that, reports indicate that the US House may vote this week on more than two dozen China-related bills aimed at addressing the alleged national and economic security threats posed by Beijing. The "masters of deception" are once again orchestrating and fueling a new wave of anti-China McCarthyism.
On Saturday local time, CIA Director Bill Burns and MI6 Chief Richard Moore made an unprecedented joint public appearance at the Financial Times Weekend Festival in London. They stressed that the global order is under threat, and after discussing some regional conflicts, they expressed a continued need to focus their attention on China. On the same day, they also published a jointly authored commentary article, articulating that for both the CIA and MI6, "the rise of China is the principal intelligence and geopolitical challenge of the 21st century."
The CIA and MI6, known for being among the world's largest sources of misinformation and disinformation, clearly will not stop fabricating lies to stir up tensions. The reason is simple: If the world were peaceful and stable, they would be among the first to face job losses. They would lose their grip on a fractured international landscape and miss out on the profits they make from ongoing chaos.
"I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole ... We had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment." This is a line from a speech by former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo in 2019. The intelligence agencies of the US and its allies have long been the hidden hands behind American hegemony, orchestrating wars, coups, and fabricating lies to further their objectives. Now, with China's rise, these agencies have turned their attention to hyping up the "China threat."
How has China's rise become a threat? Even the US cannot provide a credible example to support this claim. The truth is that China is focusing on addressing pressing global challenges, from pursuing green transformation to mediating the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and that in the Middle East, which are being prolonged and exacerbated by Western interventions.
China has consistently stressed that both China and the US can achieve mutual prosperity and peaceful coexistence. However, this idea seems almost inconceivable within the toxic political environment in the US.
Some American politicians are gearing up to pursue "decoupling" to the fullest extent. Take the US House, for example. It is set to kick start "China week" with fast-track approval of a slew of China-related bills, beginning on Monday, "to be aggressive in confronting the threat that China poses."
The bills include The End Chinese Dominance of Electric Vehicles Act; a ban to stop China from purchasing US farmland; DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act. The series of bills are largely rooted in unfounded accusations and baseless fears. In US politics, truth has become irrelevant, and lies have become the norm. Much of US political focus on China is based on falsehoods.
What US lawmakers should be focusing on are domestic issues and approaches for advancing economic development. Hyping disinformation, such as the "China threat," won't fix US' own issues or reinforce American hegemony. Promoting a rational and pragmatic China policy is the option that best serves US long-term interests. A mutually beneficial outcome can only be realized through dialogue and cooperation, rather than confrontation and hostility.
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