US wants Europeans to join the conflict with China

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told media via video link on Thursday that European nations must join forces with the US to assist it tackle China’s rising challenge to the existing world order. The official argued that countering Beijing’s influence is critical for safeguarding the European way of life.

China was previously described by Washington as the only country with both the will and the ability to remake the world order, posing a threat to Western nations’ common vision of the future. Sherman now claims that China was a threat to Western ideals even before it allegedly linked itself with Russia, which is currently dominating Western headlines as a result of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine.

“Even before President Xi [Jinping] and President [Vladimir] Putin declared their ‘no limits’ partnership in February, the PRC [People’s Republic of China] has challenged Europe’s security, Europe’s economy and Europe’s values,” Sherman told journalists in Washington, DC.

“While Beijing may be thousands of miles away… the PRC’s actions matter just as much for the future of Europe” she said, adding that the US is not seeking a new Cold War with Beijing.

While the US does not intend to “sever [its] economy from the PRC,” Sherman added that the US cannot simply rely on Beijing to change its behavior, and urged European nations to coordinate their approaches with Washington, particularly on supply chain concerns.

“China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order – and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do it,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned a week ago.

Blinken cautioned that Beijing’s vision of the future would pull us away from the universal ideals that have supported so much of the world’s progress over the past 75 years, and that US Vice President Joe Biden “believes this decade will be pivotal” in the US-China dispute.

He also stated that the United States is working to create the strategic environment around Beijing in order to achieve our goal for an open and inclusive international system.

During heightened tensions with China, which have been on the rise owing to difficulties surrounding Taiwan, America has been rallying support from Pacific states and Western allies.

Under the One-China policy, China considers the island country to be part of its sovereign territory. The country, which has been self-governing since 1949 and has a population of 23.5 million people, has never formally declared independence from China.

Officials in the United States, which has significant unofficial connections with Taiwan and sells it weaponry, have often stated that Beijing is closely following Russia’s military activity in Ukraine in preparation for a possible strike against Taiwan.

Chinese leaders have stated that they want a peaceful’reunification,’ but have also warned the United States not to underestimate the Chinese people’s’resolve’ in the event of a battle.