China’s Economic Statecraft Is Working
Strategic competition with Beijing demands clarity on American commitments and economic leverage.
The usual framing treats China’s “economic statecraft” like a clever chess match the West simply needs to study and admire. That misses the more basic question: why have we made ourselves so dependent that Beijing’s pressure can work at all? Calling the strategy “imperfect but effective” sidelines the costs to **public trust** when American families see supply shocks and hollowed-out industries, and to **institutional stability** when universities, companies, and even local governments feel nudged to self-censor to keep market access.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
Why Beijing can succeed even with an imperfect strategy.
Original source:
Read at Foreign AffairsHow We See It
New Republican Times Editorial Board
The usual framing treats China’s “economic statecraft” like a clever chess match the West simply needs to study and admire. That misses the more basic question: why have we made ourselves so dependent that Beijing’s pressure can work at all?
Calling the strategy “imperfect but effective” sidelines the costs to public trust when American families see supply shocks and hollowed-out industries, and to institutional stability when universities, companies, and even local governments feel nudged to self-censor to keep market access. The point is not to panic about China. It is to notice how often our own choices created the leverage.
A serious response starts with national security and the rule of law: enforce trade rules, protect critical technology, and treat strategic sectors as strategic. Fairness means American workers and businesses should not compete against subsidies and coercion disguised as commerce.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.