The United States and China, the two major powers that fall into their own traps, the cost of miscalculations by both sides is fatal, and the risks are only increasing (1/5) | JBpress (JBpress)

The cost of miscalculation on both sides is fatal, and the risks are only increasing

(Financial Times, July 28, 2022)

Although the US-China summit was over the phone… (President Joe Biden on the phone with Xi Jinping on July 28, photo: Archyde.com/Aflo)

When two trains run on the same rail and would otherwise collide head-on, the point is switched and one train moves to the other rail.

Alas, in the world of geopolitics, it is up to the driver to take evasive action.

In the cases of the United States and China, each doubts the other’s ability to operate trains.

Given past history, we can hardly expect the looming train crash to resolve itself.

Even yelling at each other is better than escalating

Avoid US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping – the two world leaders most in need of a face-to-face meeting, but who have not met since Biden took office. It is noticeable that no action has been taken.

This is especially true of the Taiwan issue.

Biden has suggested resuming some sort of strategic dialogue between the United States and China. A regular exchange of ideas, even a shouting match, is better than today’s escalating conflicts.

But China has shown no interest.

On the Chinese side, the first step is for the United States to stop what China’s ambassador to the United States calls “disinformation, misinformation and lies” regarding China’s internal affairs, especially Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.