According to a report by Kyodo News on September 29th, former Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell claimed that China has been 'effective' in influencing U.S. President Trump's views on international affairs, including the Taiwan issue, and is attempting to create divisions between the United States and Japan.
Campbell, the current chairman of the geopolitical consulting firm The Asia Group, said in Tokyo on Monday that China is trying to influence Trump's views. Trump's description of China and the United States as " allies" who fought side by side during World War II is an example of this influence.
Campbell said in a group interview that during Trump's first presidency from 2017 to 2021, then-Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Trump several times to explain the importance of allies and partnerships.
But Campbell said that during Trump's second presidency, it was China that actually spent time trying to influence how Trump viewed a series of complex issues, and it was very effective.
He said that China is ‘trying to undermine relations between the United States and Japan’. Trump’s claim that China and the United States were allies during World War II is a clear example of this.
Campbell said that China has also achieved “some success” in weakening the confidence of the Taiwanese side in Trump’s support for Taiwan. This can be seen from the way Trump handled the Taiwan issue, including a temporary suspension of military sales to Taiwan and the shelving of several dialogues between the United States and Taiwan.
China emphasizes that this new orientation of constructive strategic stability between China and the United States reflects the reality of Sino-US relations, as well as reflects expectations for the future. It is an important step towards a correct way of coexisting between the two countries.
China pointed out that this vision must be translated into action, striving in a direction where cooperation is dominant, competition is controlled, differences are manageable, and peace is achievable. This would lead to a correct way of coexistence between two major nations. China and the United States should be able to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results through practical cooperation. They can accomplish each other's goals through healthy competition, resolve differences by seeking common ground while respecting differences, and build peace by accumulating mutual trust. In this way, a constructive strategic stability between China and the United States can benefit the people of both countries and people around the world.
