In an interview with the website of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Siamak Bagheri, referring to the reactions to a published photo in which the Chinese president is wearing a military uniform and the threatening positions of the US military officials against Beijing in the past weeks, stated: The competition between China and the United States is one of the serious strategic issues in international politics, the United States considers China to be a developing country at a high speed and a serious competitor, while the issue of the transfer of power from the West to the East in various hard and soft dimensions by some international relations experts have created concerns for the West and the United States.

Saying that the activism of the United States in this situation is accompanied by an increase in tension and that China is trying to manage the crisis, and added: So far, Beijing has limited itself to providing warnings on various issues, including the escalation of tensions with regard to Taiwan, and has tried to manage the crisis while preventing the expansion of their dimensions. Therefore, we see the main and primary concerns and actions from the United States; because anyway, China is a bone in the US throat and the White House feels that the balance of power in the economic, political and security fields is changing.

The professor of international relations, reminding that in recent years, China has also followed the path of military development and has made significant progress in this regard, said: Based on the assessment of American think tanks, China is continuously equipping and modernizing its navy and has the necessary resources to continue shipbuilding in the 2020s. They have warned that by 2030, the country could have five aircraft carriers and dozens of submarines equipped to launch nuclear ballistic missiles.

Bagheri stated that in terms of economic estimates and access to high-tech technologies, China has gained a lot of power and the evaluations show that it will soon be in the first place, and the upstream documents of the United States in recent years have named China as the first threat, adding: In such a situation, the US has a tendency to enter into a war with China, but since the economy of that country does not allow entering into a war with a power like China, and its military power is not enough due to the wear and tear of part of its weapons and equipment, and due to the non-acceptance of the domestic public opinion, does not see this possibility for itself.

The analyst of international affairs, referring to the conflicts and important international cases of the United States, as well as the costs that its military presence imposes on the country’s economy, in a situation in which it has also heavy debts, noted: It seems that the United States is looking for “showing China security-oriented”. They have used this strategy for other countries, including Iraq during the Saddam era and Iran. In fact, they want to make it appear that China is the first global threat, the main threat to the Indo-Pacific region, and an important threat to its surrounding environment.

Bagheri explained: If the Americans make China security-oriented, they can isolate that country and complete the circle of their actions by creating alliances around China and beyond. In this regard, we are witnessing the provocation of China’s peripheral countries by the US. In fact, the United States, in its weak condition, is trying to use the economic and military power of other countries neighboring China against that country.

He stated that the United States is seeking to create military expenses for China in any way possible and to create tensions that will lead to disruption of its economic growth process, adding: Some American strategists warn the country’s officials not to turn the competition with China into a “Cold War”; because this cold war will mean a costly failure for the United States and the US will not gain anything out of it.

The university professor reminded: The US is trying to prevent the economic integration of China’s neighboring countries in that country’s economy by presenting plans so that its economic power does not swallow those countries. In this situation, China, understanding the movements of the United States, takes symbolic actions that can be analyzed under the declared policies of that country. The wearing of military uniform was done symbolically, and numerous cases have shown that China will not do anything to disrupt the country’s economic growth.

Referring to the statements of the Chinese president at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party and his warnings and orders for military preparedness, Bagheri stated that he had previously in 2013 immediately after coming to power and also in 2017 when he took power again emphasized the necessity of preparing the army for war, and continued: China as a world power is increasing its military power, and the nature of power is also described as “multiplication”. China is looking for a hybrid power to become a global power in order to be able to defend its national security in the broadest sense in the event of any incident, even a possible military attack.

He added: The Chinese know that any kind of disturbance in the balance of the international system and the transfer of power is accompanied by tensions, so in order to maintain their power, they manage the crisis and prepare themselves for any eventuality from the United States. They want to show that they have such a deterrent power that any blow from the United States will entail a harder and more painful blow.

Referring to the warnings of the head of the International Monetary Fund regarding the consequences of the competition between China and the United States for the global economy and the consequences of the start of another Cold War, Bagheri said: China avoids formation of a Cold War, but it does not passively respond to every action of the United States; as we have seen in the field of managed commercial tariffs. In addition, the common working areas of the two countries prevent the occurrence of a Cold War. Therefore, it seems that China is getting closer to the vision it has defined for itself in various fields.