Today, China’s Xi is scheduled to meet with President Biden in San Francisco (Biden to meet Xi on Wednesday in San Francisco Bay area, US says).
What can we expect from this meeting?
Nothing substantial, other than it is nice for them to talk face-to-face.
Specifically, three perspectives:
- Trust.
- Competition.
- It is the system, stupid!
Let me briefly elaborate on each …
1. Trust
For a country built to last, trust in government is everything, as highlighted by the image below.
Here is where America stands: public trust in government is near historic lows (Public Trust in Government: 1958-2023).
Here is where China stands: public trust in the government is consistently about 90% (Level of trust in government in China from 2016 to 2022).
Question: Can any country, let alone a highly trustworthy one like China, trust America when most Americans do not even trust their own government?
Answer: No, of course not!
2. Competition
China is a competitor, not an enemy.
Unfortunately, America treats China as an enemy, constantly trying to contain it. Here is a 2021 news story: As Xi and Biden meet, the US has stopped pretending it’s not trying to contain China.
Can China be contained?
No, of course not (Containing China is not a feasible option)!
The image below highlights the overall American attitude toward China, which is a key reason China is winning the head-on competition.
For more, read The U.S. vs. China.
3. It is the system, stupid!
Simply put, China’s system (i.e., “socialism with Chinese characteristics,” aka “state capitalism”) is fundamentally better than America’s (i.e., democracy + capitalism).
The image below highlights the key difference between the two systems.
Two informative readings:
4. Closing
Expect nothing substantial from the Biden-Xi meeting!
America, reform our failing political system, as I have suggested (History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline), or become a fiddle, second to China!
