Sino-US political relations have always been fragile. Politico-economic factors led both nations to loggerheads paving the way to rivalry. The basic and foremost bone of contention between the US & China is Taiwan and sea routes namely the strait of Malacca as well as the Indian ocean. Although the US supports Taiwan as part of one China policy, at the same time Washington maintains strong military ties with Taipei and exercises Freedom of Navigation under the UN convention of law on the sea. On the other hand, China disregard the US narrative and warned the US multiple times over the Taiwan subject Secondly, the Indian Ocean, which is the third largest sea in the world, is significantly important economically for Chinese interest whereas, the US growing concerned about Chinese hegemony over Indian ocean brought Quad (India, Australia, US, and Japan), AUKUS, Australia, UK, and USA closer to counter Chinese influence over the Indian ocean.
Economically, the Chinese-led bank AIIB (Asian Infrastructure & investment Bank) provided loan to many lesser nations and China’s economic expansion ingrained in all parts of the world. Chinese one Belt and Road Initiative CPEC investment ranging $60 billion dollars. On contrary, US effort to rival Beijing by establishing TPP transpacific partnership by investing & supporting ASEAN nations, and G7 countries to counter Chinese interests, and poured $600 billion to promote US-led economic ambition in all parts of the world.
On the other hand, BRICS nations GDP all alone stands $40 trillion US dollars while US investment in combined with G7, TTP transpacific partnership stands no match to that of Chinese investment and replaced belt and Road alternative. In a nutshell, economic and political rivalry between USA and people’s republic of China construe a challenging global geopolitical environment that must be resolved amicably under the auspices of the UN charter.
ADIL ALI,
Karachi.