U.S. Midterms: Two
Years of 'Bickering' is Opening for China (Huanqiu, China)
Will a newly-elected
Congress viscerally opposed to the president result in an incapacity to act at home
and abroad? This editorial from China's state-run Huanqiu interprets the results of the 2014 midterm elections as more
proof that the American system is badly flawed, with huge resources being
wasted on partisan bickering while urgent domestic reforms go unaddressed.
Republicans came out of the U.S. midterm elections last Tuesday
the big winners, tightening their control of the U.S. House of Representatives
and regaining control of the U.S. Senate after a lapse of eight years. With President
Obama immediately becoming a "lame duck," this is a major change in
the political winds in the U.S., although in comparison to a presidential
change in party, the impact is smaller.
The bitterest pill will be swallowed by Obama himself. The
election can indeed be regarded as a "referendum" on the achievements
of his administration, in which the majority voted "no" and to shackle
him with added chains for the final two years of his tenure.
Americans have elected a legislature thoroughly opposed to
their president. It has been proven before that even the United States, star player
of Western-style democracy, has trouble functioning in such a situation. As the
president and Congress square off against one another over the next two years
and the 2016 presidential race begins, the United States is unlikely to make
any major decisions.
On the issue of China, the U.S. Congress is likely to become
increasingly malicious and argumentative. The goal of the United States has always
been to "contain China," and when daggers are drawn again the
president, this tendency is often exacerbated. So when there is this type of momentum
against a U.S. president, it often results in difficulty for China.
The Chinese people have become familiar with American political
theater. Changes in the atmosphere of Sino-U.S. relations will not be much of a
concern. China has endured much larger shocks to relations than these midterm
elections will bring.
In addition to Obama, Hillary Clinton is likely the most
worried about the midterm election results. She is widely expected to be the nominee
of the Democratic Party in the next U.S. presidential election, and much of the
U.S. mainstream is convinced she will have a triumphant victory. Given the
defeat of the Obama-led Democrats, whoever eventually becomes the Democratic
Party nominee will certainly feel the consequences.
Past U.S. presidential races show that in the absence of a
president seeking reelection, the party that wins the midterms is likely to win
the following presidential race. Republicans will undoubtedly take great inspiration
from their midterm victory. Although the Republican Party still lacks a
commanding leader capable of taking on Hillary Clinton, it may have won
something more precious: a window of opportunity from the public.
With the United States in need of a political consensus to
push through domestic reforms, its political system continues to bleed the country's
resources on partisan battles. Whether this is being done out of pride or frustration
is even being debated by the Americans themselves.
Across the Pacific, China has been undergoing radical
reforms of its own. The two countries have formed distinct paradigms. In both, there
are firm national supporters as well as those who envy the system of the other.
Only time will tell which system is best.
The United States will not experience a moment of decisive
change anytime soon, which is an opportunity for countries that have the capacity
to change. China should be one such country. Greater dissatisfaction with a
changing China may result in the use of existing power structures according to
precedent, but the current system in the United States is unlikely to engender
radical changes in its China policy. As long as we don't deliberately rock the
boat, Sino-U.S. relations, even in the face of disputes and difficulties, will
in the long term remain fairly stable.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
Obama's "Asia Pivot" has created a lot of trouble
for China, but looking back and looking ahead, Obama's foreign policy can be
regarded as relatively "moderate." So while Sino-U.S. relations may
not fall of a cliff, a taste of bitterness will continue to linger.
