Washington Post Column: Trump Turns Pragmatic on China, Urges Against Full US-China Decoupling

(CNA, Los Angeles, 17th) Washington Post columnist Fareed Zakaria believes that U.S. President Trump has shown a pragmatic attitude in the recent Trump-Xi meeting. He argues that while U.S.-China competition is inevitable, a full economic decoupling could have catastrophic consequences.
Fareed Zakaria is the host of an international news program on CNN and a columnist for The Washington Post. He has long commented on U.S. foreign policy, international affairs, and globalization, and has previously served as editor of Newsweek International and managing editor of Foreign Affairs.
The column, titled "Trump's pragmatism on China is commendable," notes that while the author disagrees with many of Trump's potential second-term foreign policies—such as threatening to seize Greenland, annexing Canada, unilaterally raising tariffs, or going to war with Iran—he believes Trump's instincts and approach to U.S.-China relations this time may be correct.
Zakaria writes that during the meeting with Xi, Trump displayed a rare side, appearing "respectful, almost deferential," and actively emphasizing their personal relationship. In contrast, Chinese President Xi Jinping remained restrained and formal, without showing particular warmth.
Zakaria analyzes that Trump values power dynamics over ideology or values. His tough stance on European allies stems from his understanding that Europe still relies on U.S. military protection and markets.
He observes that when dealing with China, Trump seems to recognize Beijing's economic, technological, industrial, and military strength, shifting from a past hardline stance to a more complex model of "competition and cooperation in parallel." Zakaria believes "this might be what U.S.-China relations truly need."
Zakaria emphasizes that competition between the U.S. and China is unavoidable, and the two countries will continue to vie for economic, military, and strategic dominance for decades to come. However, he argues that competition does not necessarily mean a complete rupture; the U.S. and China can compete fiercely while still maintaining trade and dialogue.
The author points out that a full economic decoupling between the U.S. and China would lead to rising prices and unstable supply for American consumers, while businesses would risk losing the vast Chinese market. This could ultimately lead to the world splitting into two hostile blocs, significantly increasing the risk of miscalculation and conflict.
He notes that China is not the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War. China is the world's second-largest economy, the primary trading partner for over 120 countries, and has significant capabilities in fields like electric vehicles, batteries, and artificial intelligence.
Zakaria points out that if the U.S. pursues a full economic decoupling and a Cold War with China, the situation would be different from the confrontation with the Soviet Union. China is already deeply integrated with the global economy, and a full-scale confrontation would mean tearing apart the existing global trade system.
Finally, Zakaria quotes a reminder from the late former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger: in 1914, the great powers of Europe, driven by nationalist competition, marched into a great war, ignoring the severe consequences it could bring. Today, in an era of artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, and nuclear weapons, maintaining channels of communication between major powers is even more critical. (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150518