Opinion | Targeting China will just poison ties without helping the US

After the lengthy summer recess, attention in the US Congress has shifted towards China, with a series of bills being introduced to restrict China’s advancements in hi-tech sectors, expanding beyond semiconductors to include biotechnology and drones.

This activity on Capitol Hill, referred to as “China Week”, is not only focused on hi-tech industries. Proposed bills also target Hong Kong, with proposals to close the city’s three trade offices in the US. The bills also aim to dismantle Confucius Institutes operating within the country and solidify Washington’s backing for Taiwan.

The bipartisan consensus on China reflects a concern about the perceived threat posed by China. However, this attitude and the resulting legislative measures may be based on an exaggerated view of China’s increasing power. Passing the China Week bills may not enhance the US’ ability to outpace China. Instead, such measures risk reinforcing public misconceptions in the US about China.

An even more pressing question is: do American politicians consider how their actions will affect the perception of the US among the Chinese population? The current mood in Washington hearkens back to a debate that occurred 75 years ago when the Communist Party declared the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, prompting Washington to grapple with the question, “Who lost China?”

In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in the attitudes of young Chinese towards the US, with a growing sense of negativity, especially among the post-1990s generation, many of whom have witnessed China’s rapid economic rise and have pursued education abroad.

The targeting of ethnic Chinese scientists under the China Initiative – launched by former US president Donald Trump and continued by US President Joe Biden until 2022 – has left many disillusioned. Numerous scientists have chosen to leave the country where they had established their careers and formed deep emotional connections, with some even facing wrongful prosecution and being eventually proven innocent. Too bad then that a proposed bill aimed at resurrecting this shameful programme was one of the many passed by Congress as part of China Week.