Foreign news

Pompeo may want a ‘new Cold War,’ not everyone does

Published

5 years ago

July 29, 2020

Editor’s note: CGTN’s First Voice provides instant commentary on breaking stories. The daily column clarifies emerging issues and better defines the news agenda, offering a Chinese perspective on the latest global events.

It is said that China and the U.S. have never been more divided since the establishment of diplomatic relationships in the 20th century. However, as its turning out, U.S. policy towards China is also reaching a depth of division like never before.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s infamous China speech on July 23 has incited a tsunami of criticism within America’s foreign policy circles and in the media. Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, published an opinion piece in the Washington Post on July 26. He blasted Pompeo as “decidedly undiplomatic” and stated that Pompeo has misinterpreted history while failing to “suggest a coherent or viable path forward for managing a relationship that more than any other will define this era.”

Ticked off by Pompeo’s not so subtle attempt to turn Chinese people against the Communist Party of China (CPC), Haass claimed that “it is not within our power to determine China’s future, much less transform it.” Whatever problems or challenges China’s facing, and whatever the relationship is between the CPC and the Chinese people, “will be for the Chinese people and their leaders to determine,” he said.

Steve Hadley, former National Security Advisor under President George W. Bush, believed that any administration’s China policy should be a sustainable one that doesn’t divide the world or take the two countries onto a path of confrontation. However, the problem is, many experts and former government officials don’t see Trump administration’s China strategy as solely centered on China or come from a place of international relations

Rather, many see domestic situations in the U.S. and Trump’s own political fortune as driving the administration’s hostility towards the world’s second largest economy. In a New York Times report dated July 25, it’s made clear that Trump’s campaign aides believe that aggression towards China, like closing down Chinese Consulate in Houston, “could help energize voters.”

A story by Los Angeles Times published on July 26 pointed out that Trump’s China policy has “repeatedly seesawed and has often appeared inconsistent or haphazard.” But now, with the election on the horizon, China hawks are granted “free rein.” Many China scholars and policymakers see this so-called “slegehammer” approach toward China as “counterproductive and disingenuous in its purported concern for Chinese people.” Debroah Seligsohn, former U.S. diplomat focused on Asia, told LA Times: “There are ways to handle the relationship without blasting through it.”

But blast it did. Michael D. Swaine, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote on Twitter that the U.S. move to close Chinese Consulate in Houston was a “transparent effort by mindless ideologues and political manipulators to help Trump’s political fortunes.” And in response to China’s closure of U.S. Consulate in Chengdu, Swaine pointed out that the Trump administration wanted this move to happen. “It is part of the decoupling and demonization campaign that it thinks will magically make Beijing do what it wants,” wrote Swaine.

The Financial Times had an interesting description of Pompeo’s speech: “Short on prescriptive policy detail, Mr. Pompeo’s speech had the feeling of a popular campaign speech at times.” There has been no shortage of speculation about Pompeo’s post-Secretary-of-State political ambition. In May, the NYT published a story pointing out that Pompeo had visited conservative donors and political figures on official business trips as he “nurtures plans for a presidential bid in 2024 and as he considered a run for the Senate form Kansas.” As Trump’s political fortune in uncertainty, it wouldn’t be too unreasonable to imagine that Pompeo could be looking out for his own future. After all, who better to pick up the mantle of a president chanting tough on China than his very own Secretary of State who might’ve put China and the U.S. on a path of confrontation?

Scriptwriter: Huang Jiyuan

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us atopinions@cgtn.com.)

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Foreign news

Pakistan Moves to Deepen Diplomatic, Economic Relations With Nigeria

Published

4 days ago

November 27, 2025

The Gleamer

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has called for deeper diplomatic and economic ties with the Nigerian government to foster development for both countries.

Mr Rana Ihsaan, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during his working vist to Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.

NAN reports that the visiting Coordinator held a closed-door meeting with Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

After the meeting, he said that both both sides had agreed on deepening relations in the areas of trade and commerce, among others.

Ihsaan said that both countries must see the need to accelerate efforts towards a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

He said that Pakistan had already submitted a draft BTA and was awaiting Nigeria’s response.

According to him, discussions centered on easing visa processes, expanding educational exchanges, and strengthening Cooperation in sectors such as Minerals, Youth training, and Defence were highlighted.

Ihsaan said that Pakistan had already implemented visa-on-arrival for Nigerians at no cost, and urged Nigeria to reciprocate to enhance people-to-people ties.

He stressed the importance of high-level engagements between both nations, describing Nigeria and Pakistan as very similar countries with large populations, youthful demographics, and vast economic potentials.

“Deeper collaboration will unlock opportunities in trade, education and investment, while further solidifying long-standing diplomatic relations,” he said.

He said that aside from visiting the foriegn Minister and other top government officials in Nigeria, he was also in the country to attend the on-going West Africa Beauty Exhibition holding in Lagos.

He described the exhibition as one of the continent’s largest cosmetic fairs, adding that he led a delegation of 19 Pakistani business people exploring Nigeria’s estimated 10 million dollar beauty and cosmetics market.

Ihsaan said that Nigeria was a gateway to Africa, adding that Pakistani products, like cosmetics, Textiles, Pharmaceuticals, Food items and Sports goods were already gaining traction in the country.

He encouraged Pakistani exhibitors to establish offices, Warehouses and logistics partnerships to strengthen their foothold in the Nigerian market.

Ihsaan further addressed concerns from Nigerian businesses on the ease of doing business in Pakistan.

He said that the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan had been supporting Nigerian participants at major exhibitions to achieve the ease of doing business.

“The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) serves as a one-stop platform for Nigerians interested in investing in Pakistan,” he said

Culled from NAN

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