Jessica Chen Weiss, associate professor of government, and Ali Wyne, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a nonresident fellow at the Modern War Institute, have some advice for U.S. officials about their relationship with China, in this New York Times opinion piece.
Arguing that American nationalism will only encourage more Chinese nationalism, the scholars urge the U.S. to let Beijing's nationalism run its course.
"Over the long run, Beijing’s brand of hyper-nationalism is likely to undermine the Chinese Communist Party’s bid for world leadership; that posture worries too many governments," they write.
"In the short term, though, it is an effective rallying cry within China, and Washington must be careful not to inflame the sentiment — which could compel Beijing to further harden its positions.
"Nationalistic U.S. policies also complicate America’s efforts to mobilize its partners to push back together against China, and they risk alienating individuals of Chinese heritage who contribute to the dynamism of the American economy."
