8. Conclusion

Pei, M (2016), p. 268.

Tooze, A (2006): The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy. London: Penguin Books, p. 512.

Yue, J (2022), pp. 91–106.

On October 31, 2023, the People’s Daily sent out the inaugural signal of China’s overture to the U.S. through its editorial. The highly anticipated 24-episode anti-American propagandist TV drama, “The Battle of Shangganling” (known as the “Battle of Triangle Hill” in the U.S.), originally slated to air during prime time on November 13, was postponed. This delay, orchestrated to foster improved relations with the Americans, preceded President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Biden on November 15 (Singtao, 18/11/2023. https://​std.​stheadline.​com/​sc/​daily/​article/​2556997/​%E6%97%A5%E5%A0%B1-%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B-%E6%8A%97%E7%BE%8E%E6%8F%B4%E6%9C%9D%E5%8A%87-%E4%B8%8A%E7%94%98%E5%B6%BA-%E5%BB%B6%E6%92%AD). Concurrently, there was an abrupt softening of anti-American propaganda. From November 11 to 15, the official Xinhua News Agency issued five editorials advocating the normalization of bilateral relations. However, analysts in the U.S. dismissed these gestures as China’s attempt at “strategic deception” (RFA, 13/11/2023. https://​www.​rfa.​org/​mandarin/​yataibaodao/​junshiwaijiao/​hx-11132023091252.​html). During his address to the American audience in San Francisco, Xi Jinping asserted that China “never bets against the United States.” Arguing that China “will not fight a cold war or a hot war with anyone,” Xi expressed a desire for friendship with the U.S. (Bloomberg, 16/11/2023. https://​www.​bloomberg.​com/​news/​articles/​2023-11-16/​xi-says-china-seeks-to-be-friends-with-us-wants-peaceful-ties?​leadSource=​uverify%20​wall). On November 16, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, candidly explained Xi’s “desperate” need for U.S. investment amid an economic slowdown caused by his mistaken policies (BNN-Bloomberg, 16/11/2023. https://​www.​bnnbloomberg.​ca/​xi-is-desperate-for-us-capital-amid-a-slowdown-rahm-emanuel-says-1.​1999705). The following day (November 17), the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed that China-U.S. relations, once opened up, would not be closed again. On December 31, Xinhua issued a commentary urging a “relaunch” of China-U.S. relations in commemoration of the 45-year establishment of diplomatic ties. However, Americans remained lukewarm to this commemoration. On January 6, 2024, Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized that “Sino-U.S. cooperation is a necessity, not a matter of choice” (Zaobao, 06/01/2024. https://​www.​zaobao.​com.​sg/​realtime/​china/​story20240106-1460346).

“Official: China won’t upend global order.” China Daily, 10/01/2024. https://​www.​chinadailyhk.​com/​article/​370780.

“Distrust and verify: Pompeo refits Cold War slogan for China.” Nikkei Asia, 24/07/2020. https://​asia.​nikkei.​com/​Politics/​International-relations/​Distrust-and-verify-Pompeo-refits-Cold-War-slogan-for-China.

Yue, J. (2021): “The Limits to China’s Peaceful Rise—Deep Integration and a New Cold War.” Global Policy, 00, e13040. Available from: https://​doi.​org/​10.​1111/​1758-5899.​13040