What is most worried about me is that the indifferent voters are not interested in these and other aspects of the discussion of China ’s issues, let alone the alternative to considering conflict.

In addition to a few superficial words, the US president debate in September is surprising that the content of China is less.Former President Trump breaks, his proposal import tariffs will punish "China and all the countries that have been deceiving us for many years."Vice President Harris criticized the response measures of Chinese epidemic, saying that Chinese President Xi Jinping had a lack of transparency in the origin of the origin of coronary virus and refused to be responsible for providing relevant information to us. "

In a sense, it is foreseeable that failed to pay attention to China.In this election cycle, American voters are mainly staring at other anxious issues: abortion and women's fertility, immigration and border security, inflation and people's livelihood issues.Although the national security strategy of the National Defense Strategy Commission and the White House has raised China's risks to the height of the existence of the country, the pre -selected question content of the debate site and pre -selected questions have hardly touched the United States's most important foreign policy in the 21st century.It should not be discussed without discussion in this area.

China has always been an important topic of previous elections. From Nixon and Kennedy in October 1960, they started long debate on the Taiwan Strait Dispute Island Golden Gate and Matsu. After that, almost all presidential debates, including 2016, Trown in TrownThe three confrontations of Puhe Hillary involved Sino-US relations (Trump's continuous mention of the term "Chai-Nah) that year, and even became a theme of a mad video).Has voters in the United States have been stunned by social media, and the 24 -hour news cycle broadcast, so that they have lost interest in discussions on substantial policies?

Of course, the serious consensus of the two parties on China's threats may also be why they tend to ignore this issue.In addition, given that American politicians tend to blame their problems on others, it is not surprising that it is not surprising to jointly treat China as a sinful sheep.A typical example is that the huge trade deficit of the United States is caused by the same huge budget deficit and lack of domestic savings, but it blames this blame to China.This is also the case for the typical representative of the Chinese and American scientific and technological warfare Huawei -accusing China of accusing China far more easily than recognizing R & D expenditure, which is much easier to pose a threat to the potential of the United States.

Of course, I will not be naive to expect that the American politicians will be sincere in controversial issues such as China.As I emphasized in the book of the Accidental Conflict, the political appropriate measures of false narrative have reached a new height in the 2024 presidential campaign.Look at Trump's obsession with tariffs: he not only distorted who would pay for tariffs, but also reversed the impact of tariffs. He mistakenly believed that tariffs would reduce domestic inflation and increase the price of foreign exporters.

At the same time, people can also criticize Harris to support the Bayeon government to maintain Trump's tariffs on China and impose new tariffs.As I tirelessly elaborated, it is aimed at China, but it does not eliminate the fundamental cause of the lack of domestic savings in the United States. It is like squeezing a balloon filled with water. The pressure will only cause the water to flow to the other side.Similarly, the so -called bilateral solutions (tariffs on China) just transfer the US trade deficit to Mexico, Vietnam, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Ireland, Ireland, Ireland, and Germany.The increase in living expenses of American families.But now those American politicians can't hear these at all.

Therefore, if I host it, I will try to let candidates express their views on the three key points of Chinese issues:

First of all, the United States really hopes to eliminate the multilateral trading deficit involved in up to 106 countries in 2023 by the maximum trading partner?The US government tried to adopt this approach to Japan in the 1980s, but eventually failed.Why do these politicians think that the same means will work miraculously in China today?

Secondly, what is the possibility of this trade war against?This happened before, and the Great Depression in the 1930s was the most painful example.When the state is hit by tariffs, it is often retaliated; when the enterprise is sanctioned, it will focus on competition for survival.Huawei's new generation of smartphones and laptops can be regarded as prominent examples in this area.

Third, what does the victory of the Sino -US trade war mean for the United States?Common concerns about national security make conflicts inevitable.Chinese leaders are worried that the United States is implementing a comprehensive curbing strategy, but the United States has denied this statement and argued that it is building a "small courtyard high wall" to protect sensitive technologies.Is there a compromise solution that may be more in line with the interests of the two countries? Engagement is not a four letters (THAW, which means thawing), and should not be mistaken for appeasement.What conditions are needed to open a new era of contact with the United States and China?

These are not tricky issues.In the past few years, I have tried to answer these questions myself.What is most worried about me is that the indifferent voters are not interested in discussing these and other aspects discussed in China, not to mention the alternative to considering conflict.

The United States is deeply in a toxic and fear of the first Cold War that looks like an exercise.Compared to suspicion everywhere, there must be a better way to deal with China in the United States.If the presidential presidential candidates are not urged to debate on the country's most difficult problems and find a constructive solution, it will become extremely difficult.

Author Stephen S. Roach is a teacher of Yale University, former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia Investment Company

English original title: China is missing in America ’s election defbate

All rights reserved: Project syndicate, 2024.