From Espionage to Diplomacy: Understanding and Confronting China’s Multifaceted Threat
Guest post by Antonio Graceffo
For decades, Western democracies, including the United States, believed that as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) liberalized its economy and citizens experienced an improved standard of living, both the government and the people would embrace the advantages of democracy. The anticipation was that China would open up to the world, transform its internal political system, and actively participate in the rules-based international order. Simultaneously, there was optimism that the growing interdependence in trade and economy between the United States and China would diminish the threat from the PRC, thereby reducing the likelihood of war.
Since China’s WTO accession in 2001, the expected transformation hasn’t occurred. Under Xi Jinping’s leadership, the country has grown more closed and restrictive.
