China and America.. the Most Complex Race

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When Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled by air to the U.S. capital, Washington, on September 23, to hold a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, the latter went to the airport and personally welcomed him in a grand ceremony that included a red carpet and a military air display. However, in contrast, when Trump visited Beijing last May, President Xi did not greet him at the airport.

Despite the prominent celebratory displays accompanying Xi's visit to Washington, the summit meetings between the two leaders did not yield substantial agreements between the two sides to resolve the issues that divide their countries, except for the agreement to postpone further tariff wars. The competition between these two superpowers is fundamentally different from the Cold War that took place between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II, as the American and Chinese economies are closely interdependent.

The American market is a huge outlet for many Chinese products, including rare metals, pharmaceuticals, and thousands of goods that meet American demand for cheap and reliable consumer products, available through retail giants like Walmart and Amazon. In return, China is one of the most important buyers of advanced American technology, such as computer chips and civilian aircraft, as well as agricultural products and films.

This type of trade exchange did not exist between the United States and the Soviet Union or the communist countries in Eastern Europe that were aligned with it during the Cold War era. Despite the close economic relationship between the United States and China, they are fiercely competing for global influence. China insists on reclaiming what it considers its rightful place as the most important country in the world, as it has been for many centuries, while the United States seeks to maintain its role as the leader of the free world and the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere.

This competition is evident in the current race between the two countries in their pursuit of dominance in the field of general artificial intelligence, under the belief that the state that achieves technological superiority in this area may possess an exceptional source of economic and military power. China is also keen on enhancing its regional influence in East Asia and possibly South Asia as well. It is well aware that the United States' engagement in the Middle East may have become complicated due to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and the ongoing confrontation with Iran.

The Chinese military buildup continues, as Beijing remains determined to bring Taiwan back into the 'homeland' through political and economic pressures, or—if necessary—by using force. However, China's increasing regional ambitions face significant challenges from its neighbors, particularly Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and India. Thus, the current state of U.S.-China relations resembles a situation of waiting and watching.

Neither country wishes to engage in war against the other, but the bitter experience that Europe witnessed in the early twentieth century serves as an important lesson, despite the exorbitant economic costs of wars, the outcomes of which no one can predict. Critics of Trump believe that his efforts to appease China will not succeed, while it seems that Beijing is adopting a policy of patience and caution. The manner in which the leaderships of both countries will act over the next two years will remain one of the most complex and significant issues of our current era.