Source: Beijing ReviewChen Xiangyang - Deputy director of the Institute of World Political Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations
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International political rules consist of diplomatic practices,
public international law and norms of international relations, the core
principle of which are respecting state sovereignty and non-interference
in a nation’s internal affairs. “Humanitarian intervention” and the
“responsibility to protect,” though highly advocated by Western powers
in recent years, have yet to become universally accepted.
The United States has long considered itself the rule maker
for the world. American lawmakers often hold hearings on other
countries’ domestic affairs. The U.S. Government regularly releases
reports on foreign governments’ policies ranging from human rights and
religious freedom to monetary policies.
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Playing the blame game
As the sole superpower, the United States is the biggest beneficiary
of current international rules. Taking advantage of its dominant status
in the international system, Washington has recently adopted a new
tactic when dealing with Beijing: It has bashed the country with
“international rules,” calling China a challenger and a violator of
established rules.
When meeting with visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping in
February, U.S. leaders once again urged China to follow the U.S. version
of international rules.
There are several reasons why the United States has intensified its
China-bashing rhetoric. Since the outbreak of the global financial
crisis, China has continued to develop swiftly while the United States
is mired in financial and fiscal crises. China’s catching up has caused a
sense of anxiety in the United States. Also, in a U.S. election year,
candidates from both parties tend to make China a scapegoat to court
voters. They have attributed U.S. troubles to China’s unfair competition
and violation of international rules. For instance, Republican
presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has repeatedly accused China of being a
“currency manipulator.”
