https://themilitant.com/2018/12/01/u-s-rulers-push-back-against-beijings-expanding-challenge/
U.S. rulers push back against Beijing’s expanding challenge
By Roy Landersen
Vol. 82/No. 46
December 10, 2018
Sharpening frictions between the rulers in the U.S. and China were
revealed at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, held in Papua
New Guinea Nov. 17-18. It became a platform for the U.S. capitalist
class and its close allies, from Australia to Japan, to advance moves to
push back against Beijing’s growing influence in the region.
Contest over profitable markets, trade, raw materials in strategic
Indo-Pacific region are behind Washington, Beijing clash at Asia-Pacific
forum, in Papua New Guinea Nov. 17-18.Contest over profitable markets,
trade, raw materials in strategic Indo-Pacific region are behind
Washington, Beijing clash at Asia-Pacific forum, in Papua New Guinea
Nov. 17-18.
Vice President Mike Pence and Chinese President Xi Jinping gave speeches
reflecting the hardening rivalry between Washington, the world’s still
dominant but weakening imperialist nation, and Beijing, the main
emerging capitalist economic and military force in the Asia-Pacific
region and beyond. As the old capitalist world order is being ripped
apart, the rulers of smaller nations in the region are being forced to
choose sides or try to wriggle between the two.
An op-ed in the Nov. 18 Australian said, “The U.S. has made a naval
commitment to Australia’s immediate region not seen since World War II:
a warning to China that its days of easy gains against a distracted
Western alliance should be over.”
For the first time in APEC’s 25-year history, the assembled capitalist
leaders failed to reach agreement on a final communiqué, however bland.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, the summit chair, said
the deep rift between “the two big giants in the room” on trade and
investment was responsible. Washington reportedly demanded condemnation
of Beijing’s “coercive and predatory” trade practices.
Pence cited President Donald Trump saying that China has “taken
advantage of the United States for many, many years.” And that “those
days are over.”
“Authoritarianism and aggression have no place in the Indo-Pacific,”
Pence cynically asserted. This ignores the bloody history of U.S.
imperialism — and its close allies like Australia — from World War II
through the Korean and Vietnam wars to the conflicts in Central Asia and
the Middle East today.
He repeated the White House’s long list of charges against Beijing, from
industrial espionage to theft of “intellectual property” to its military
buildup, throwing in “concerns about human rights” for good measure.
Rivalry over riches of the Pacific
Attacking Beijing’s territorial claims and expanding military outposts
on islets in the South China Seas, Pence said Washington would continue
to “uphold the freedom of the seas and the skies.”
While in Port Moresby for the APEC summit, Pence announced Washington
would be joining Canberra in the redevelopment of a Papua New Guinea
naval base on Manus Island. The planned expansion would open the base to
even the largest U.S. aircraft carriers. This slammed the door on a bid
by Beijing to develop the deep-water port. Situated off PNG’s northeast
coast, it offers a commanding sweep of the approaches to the South Pacific.
At the same time, Beijing is deep in negotiations with the Samoan
government over bankrolling the redevelopment of the port at Asau.
The U.S. rulers view control over the western Pacific’s markets and
resources as the biggest gain they made in the second imperialist world war.
On his way to the APEC meeting, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced a
strengthening of military and economic ties between the long-time U.S.
allies, Japan and Australia. He was the first Japanese leader to visit
Darwin since the bombing of that northern Australian city by Japanese
aircraft in 1942, two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Washington hits Beijing’s expansion
As he spoke to APEC delegates Nov. 17, Pence attacked the Chinese
rulers’ signature Belt and Road Initiative. The plan spans 70 countries
across Asia to Europe and Africa. Its goal is a series of huge
infrastructure projects led by Beijing to open up capitalist development
while shortening transport costs and times for goods made in China.
The Belt and Road Initiative involves loans to developing countries,
whose repayment is secured by significant territory and infrastructure
acquisitions for Beijing in case of defaults. Pence said the
unsustainable loans saddled smaller nations with a “sea of debt.”
While true, coming from a spokesman for the number one imperialist
power, this was another staggering piece of hypocrisy. The U.S.
capitalist rulers have plundered every corner of the globe for decades.
Xi responded to the U.S. vice president by appealing to globalist
aspirations against “unilateralism.” He said APEC should “firmly uphold
the rule-based multilateral trading system and say no to protectionism.”
The capitalist rulers in China continue to take advantage of World Trade
Organization status as an “underdeveloped country,” to warrant Beijing’s
state protectionism, even though the last three decades of capitalist
development have turned eastern China into an industrial powerhouse.
Xi denied Beijing’s rail, road and port infrastructure loans were a
trap. He said the growing export of Chinese capital was just to share
“opportunities with the world to seek common development.”
The capitalist rulers of the U.S., Japan and Australia announced a
trilateral partnership in July to invest in infrastructure projects to
counter Beijing in the Asian-Pacific region. This includes a massive
power and internet cabling project in Papua New Guinea, the
underdeveloped former Australian colony.
Trump and Xi are due to meet at the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires
at the end of November. Much more is at stake than a trade war.
The U.S. rulers and their allies are fighting a rear-guard action
against a Chinese state capitalist powerhouse whose moves to claw its
way to top dog in the Asia-Pacific are making progress.
The real question for working people — in the Pacific region and beyond
— is which class will rule in the new world being forged. Will the
superrich who live by exploiting our labor stay on top? Or will the
working class fight to take political power out of their hands and
transform ourselves and society in the interests of the toiling majority.
In This Issue
Front Page Articles •Join workers in struggle, break with bosses’ parties
•Workers seek road forward out of crisis of capitalism
•SF, Hawaii hotel strikers: ‘One job should be enough!’
•Big response to win in fight for ex-prisoners’ right to vote
•California Camp Fire catastrophe caused by dog-eat-dog capitalism
•‘UK out now!’ Brexit is best terrain for the workers to fight
Feature Articles •Join May Day brigade, learn about Cuban Revolution
Also In This Issue •U.S. rulers push back against Beijing’s expanding
challenge
•‘Yellow vests’ in France protest against ‘president of the rich’
•Protests hit widespread gov’t corruption, misrule in Haiti
•Fall Campaign to sell Militant subscriptions and books (Week 7)
•Socialist Workers Party Fund Drive (Week 7)
On the Picket Line •Bus drivers in New Zealand beat back lockout, pay
raise agreed to
•Lorain, Ohio, nurses fight bosses attack on health benefits
Books of the Month •‘Socialism is next inevitable stage of social evolution’
25, 50 and 75 years ago
Letters
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