US trying to win new Cold War with China: Analyst

The United States, by making use of President Donald Trump’s harsh military, economic and political approaches towards China, is trying to defeat Beijing in a new Cold War, says American scholar Dennis Etler, predicting total failure for Washington.

“The US is trying to press what it thinks are its advantages in the new Cold War against China,” Etler told Press TV on Sunday.

The remarks came after a top US air force general said the American military is planning to continue its so-called “freedom of navigation” patrols in the South China Sea in order to prevent China from maintaining control over strategic region.

US Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein said Washington was not going to abandon what he called its “commitment” to defend its allies in the region in case they come under attack, the Rappler reported Sunday.

Tensions are simmering between the United States and China over a host of issues, including Trump’s trade war against Beijing and his willingness to forge arms deals with Taiwan despite China’s warnings.

PressTV-US military to continue South China Sea patrols: General

The United States military is not planning to stop its so-called “freedom of navigation” patrols in the South China Sea, says a top US Air Force general.

The Trump administration also stands accused of stirring unrest in Hong Kong.

Etler said Trump’s policies against China have backfired and Beijing was succeeding in forging dialogue-based relations with regional countries to resolve their disputes.

“This can be seen as a response to China’s diplomatic push to reach a consensus with ASEAN on a code of conduct to resolve disputes within the region,” he said. “The US will do all in its power to try and scuttle the China-ASEAN South China Sea Code of Conduct which it sees as a threat to its attempts to intervene in Southeast Asian affairs and isolate China from its ASEAN partners.”

“Part of this effort is to peel away the other major claimants to the South China Sea, Vietnam, and the Philippines from collaborating with China to resolve their differences,” he added.

“The deepening relationship between China and ASEAN, economically, diplomatically and militarily, are seen by the US as a direct threat to its hegemony in this strategic region of the world,” he said, arguing that despite Washington’s push, the ties were improving.

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong unrest, Etler said, was a result of a decades-long “collusion” between Washington and “a cabal of Hong Kong oligarchs” who sought to destabilize China.

“This is a fool's errand and will never come to pass, but it fits in well with US desire to create as much turmoil for China as possible,” he argued.

“As the crisis deepens the US machinations behind it are becoming clearer by the day which is only strengthening the patriotic sentiments of Chinese people both at home and abroad,” the academic added.

However, the analyst argued that Washington was not standing a chance to defeat Beijing.

“On all three fronts the US is pressing what it thinks are its advantages in trying to contain and destabilize China, economically, militarily and diplomatically,” he said. “China, however, will weather the storm and emerge unscathed.”

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