Over a month ago, University of Chicago International Relations Professor John Mearsheimer and Columbia University Economics Professor Jeffrey Sachs discussed the direction of US foreign policy on the renowned All-in Podcast, arguing over the priority of "survival versus prosperity." Their underlying argument was that, regardless of which Democratic or Republican candidate is elected, the US-China confrontation is unlikely to ease in the short term, and the US is caught between maintaining economic recovery and prosperity while also ensuring its dominance in global security and order.
Interestingly, this dialogue program has garnered attention in China, with multiple social media platforms translating the entire program and posting simplified Chinese subtitles. In fact, Mearsheimer also traveled to Beijing a few weeks ago to speak with Professor Yan Xuetong of Tsinghua University. Putting aside Mearsheimer's rhetoric of "offensive realism" to maintain US global dominance and Yan's rhetoric of "moral realism" to defend China's expansion, neither denies the continued dynamic of US-China "competition" in the future. The difference in their arguments lies in the "purpose" of the US-China competition: whether the US can maintain its dominance and whether China can break through and rise.
It's no surprise that Chinese officials favor Sachs's liberal perspective, arguing that the US and China can prosper together. China also favors Mearsheimer because he frankly acknowledges the reality of great power competition and bluntly asserts that the US, as a global hegemon, does not need to engage in double standards. The proactive goal of US foreign policy is to maximize its power to dominate international relations, regardless of international morality. The current US disregard for the escalating conflict in the Middle East and its lobbying in Washington, D.C., has led US policymakers to unconditionally support Israel, leaving them helpless. Furthermore, the Ukrainian war stems from US support for NATO's eastward expansion over the past three decades, which has led to a security dilemma for both Europe and Russia. Mearsheimer believes that the current unresolved Ukrainian war is a misguided trend, that Russia is unimportant, and that the US should focus on dealing with China.
In other words, Chinese officials are well aware of the current dilemma in the US-China competitive relationship and, using the techniques of strategic communication, are attempting to capitalize on the reflections of American elites, such as the remarks of John Mearsheimer and Jennifer Sachs, to frame President Trump within a perspective constructed by the values recognized by American society.
