America First surrenders the world to Chinese influence

A year ago, President Trump took office pledging to upend decades of U.S. foreign policy in order to put “America First.”

Moves like withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement to combat climate change and formally recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital provided sharp illustrations that the Trump administration is more than willing to alter the status quo.

Despite widespread fears from national security experts, this diplomatic disruption has yet to provoke a serious crisis, and it’s tempting to conclude that the Trump Doctrine is so crazy that it just might work. But the true test of the America First doctrine is yet to come: whether it can blunt the growth of China as a direct challenger to America’s political, economic, and military superiority. So far, the signs aren’t encouraging.

Last month, the president gave a generally well-received speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, an annual gathering of the world’s political and economic elite.

It was clear, however, the president of the United States no longer gets top billing. This year, that distinction went to a previously-obscure Chinese official, Liu He, who in a standing-room-only speech outlined China’s plans to expand its ambitious “Belt and Road Initiative” to stimulate global trade and connectivity. Chinese investment has already drawn many of its neighbors firmly into Beijing’s orbit, including countries like Pakistan that were formerly close American allies.

Even more threatening to U.S. interests, just last week China’s foreign minister completed a major visit to lure Latin American countries closer to Beijing. Under any previous administration, Washington’s diplomatic might would have been mobilized to counter such an open attempt to push America aside. But not this one. So much for the Monroe Doctrine, which for over 200 years has aimed to keep hostile foreign powers out of the western hemisphere.

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http://thehill.com/opinion/international/373334-america-first-surrenders-the-world-to-chinese-influence