The already testy relationship between the world's two largest economies over a trade war and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has got palpably worse in recent days as the United States ratcheted up its rhetoric against China. There are now fears that the relationship, already at its lowest point in decades, will deteriorate further as the US presidential election looms and the two sides' strategic rivalry broadens and deepens. The bad blood could extend beyond the pandemic and the US elections and affect global recovery from Covid-19 and the economic carnage it has wrought, for which cooperation between the two major powers is sorely needed. Some analysts warn that a new Cold War could ensue.
The blame game began in March when Chinese diplomats promoted the theory that the virus was brought to Wuhan by US soldiers in what was seen as an effort to deflect blame for China's early mishandling of the outbreak in that city. President Donald Trump then referred to it as the "Chinese virus". Things quietened down after a phone call between Mr Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in late March. Last month, however, amid mounting criticism of his handling of the pandemic and a cratering economy, Mr Trump sought to push blame for the US situation on China, starting with the theory that the virus was leaked from a Wuhan laboratory. Last week, he threatened retaliation including fresh tariffs.
Chinese officials denied this, saying his claim had no scientific basis. Worryingly, beyond the war of words over Covid-19, tensions have also risen between the two in East Asia where their rivalry has deepened. The US military has responded to Chinese actions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea in the past month. A US warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait twice amid tensions between China and Taiwan - the first time as Chinese jets flew near the island, and the second after the Chinese carrier Liaoning sailed through the Strait. Also last month, the US and Australia held a joint military drill in the South China Sea close to where a Chinese survey ship had a standoff with a Malaysian vessel. The US also conducted two freedom of navigation operations near disputed islands. Difficult as it is, the hope is that Washington will dial down on the rhetoric or, at the very least, be careful not to push things to the brink. Beijing, for its part, needs to understand that Mr Trump has a domestic audience as his target. Its response must be measured.
Both sides need to avoid situations that could trigger a confrontation. But the rest of the world, especially Asia-Pacific nations, will have to brace itself for a rough time ahead. Recovering from the pandemic is hard enough. But any return to normalcy will be that much more difficult if the two juggernauts continue to spar and disregard the impact that this will have for everyone else.
