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The United States

pendent scholar in Beijing, underscored

are many reformers in the Chinese Communist

when he wrote,

Party who seek further changes, and there are

can do more to

many people outside the CCP who want a more

spread the ethos

Whether China will be a constructive

liberal regime. State ownership is no longer

of liberty by

partner or an emerging threat will

widely admired in China, nor do most people

depend, to a very great extent, on the

take communist ideology seriously. Zheng

setting high

fate of liberalism in China: a liberal

Bijian, head of the China Reform Forum and a

standards at

China will be a constructive partner; a

senior adviser to the CCP, is correct to empha-

nationalistic and authoritarian China

size that China's rise since it embarked on a pol-

home than by

will be an emerging threat.50

icy of openness in 1978 has been peaceful--in

looking for an

the sense that it "has been driven by capital, tech-

enemy abroad.

nology, and resources acquired through peace-

Needlessly politicizing U.S.-China trade and

ful means." Indeed, "the most significant strate-

bashing China will result in the rise of crude

gic choice the Chinese have made," says Zheng,

and anti-American nationalism, and the threat

"was to embrace economic globalization rather

of war could become a reality. That would be a

than detach themselves from it."48

tragedy for world peace and prosperity.

To avert that disaster, policymakers should

Much of China's economic reform has been

bottom-up rather than top-down. The people

· treat China as a normal great power, not

themselves want a better life and greater eco-

nomic and personal freedom. U.S. foreign poli-

as an adversary;

·

cy must respect those desires and recognize that

ensure that only those commercial

ultimately freedom for the Chinese people will

transactions that truly threaten nation-

depend on the choices they make.

al security are blocked, which means a

Yasheng Huang, a professor of interna-

judicious use of CFIUS and legislative

tional management at MIT, has emphasized

power;

·

the weakness of China's institutions and has

continue to liberalize U.S.-China rela-

recommended strengthening private proper-

tions and help China meet its WTO

ty rights. According to Huang:

commitments, including protection of

intellectual property rights;

·

The central government has consistently

recognize that advancing economic

bet on the wrong horses. It supported the

freedom in China reduces the possibili-

traditional SOEs [state-owned enterpris-

ty of conflict and increases personal

es] which, despite their entrenched posi-

freedom; and

·

tions, early market leadership and abun-

deepen the U.S. commitment to free

dant resources, have performed poorly.

trade as a fundamental human right.

The resources that could have been used

to finance efficient businesses have been

The United States can do more to spread

wasted on the state-owned enterprises . . . .

the ethos of liberty by setting high standards

Massive investment booms have fuelled

at home than by looking for an enemy abroad.

economic growth but the booms are not

Our energy security, as well as China's, will

sustainable in the long term. China's lead-

depend on sound free-market policies, not on

ers recognise this. Now they need to

destructive protectionism.

encourage privatisation.49

Notes

Conclusion

The author thanks Christopher Preble, Gene

Healy, Justin Logan, Dan Griswold, and Jude

The message that Congress should send

Blanchette for helpful comments on earlier ver-

sions of this study.

China is the message Liu Junning, an inde-

11