China Should Focus Domestically, Avoid U.S. Clash: Global Times

(Bloomberg) -- Competition with the U.S. is going to grow, but China’s people would "maintain strategic composure," avoid a clash and focus on domestic affairs, according to a measured editorial from a state-run tabloid.

Chinese-U.S. ties "will be more sophisticated and may see crisis in the future" but the U.S. still maintains the upper hand in defense, technology and international influence. Therefore, China should develop its economy and remain unified as a way to counteract the "pressure from Washington’s tough China policy", according to the editorial from the normally bellicose Global Times.

The "trade war is currently the biggest source of dispute in Sino-U.S. ties, but trade tensions, together with the Taiwan question and the South China Sea dispute, will not make big waves," the paper said. "From human rights conditions to the Taiwan question, the US has sensationalized a variety of issues to harass China. Washington has abundant means and tools to provoke Beijing. China must amplify its scope and scale of tactics for effective competition with the U.S."

China has already become strong enough to resist any U.S. attempt to contain it, the editorial argued.

"Whether the U.S. is really attempting to contain China isn’t important. Even with U.S. intent to contain China, it is difficult to form a comprehensive force," it wrote. "Focusing on domestic affairs is China’s best response to containment."

To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Miao Han in Beijing at mhan22@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jeffrey Black at jblack25@bloomberg.net, James Mayger, Enda Curran

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With assistance from Editorial Board