Unique Topics Tournament: The U.S. should implement a policy of containment with regards to China

Introduction First of all, thanks to my opponent for being patient while I construct my case. Secondly, I would like to thank Bsh for hosting this tournament; DDO is past due for unique topics concerning a variety of subjects. Without further ado, let the debate begin! This debate revolves around the question of why we should or shouldn’t adopt a policy of containment in regards to China. Essentially, a policy of containment would mean preventing or attempting to prevent the spread of Chinese influence to other nations, militarily, economically, and diplomatically. As the burden of proof is shared, it is my job to show why we must contain the influence of China, and it is the job of my opponent to prove that we should not contain Chinese influence. Now that the burden is clearly defined, I will proceed to make a few clarifications before I introduce my first argument. Foreign policy is defined as [1]: “the study of the management of external relations and activities of state.” This includes, “goals, strategies, measures, methods, guidelines, directives, agreements, and so on.” Basically, a country’s foreign policy is the guide on how to deal with other nations. However, one nation cannot use the same policy for every foreign nation, and each situation requires a tailored approach. Take the previous U.S. containment of the USSR. Preventing their rise to power was of the utmost importance to our government, and we did so by countering their influence abroad and inhibiting their economic growth. Presently, we face a situation in which China’s growth is detrimental to our own interests abroad. However, we cannot use the same policy to handle nations past to address this issue. Instead, we must adopt our own approach and go forward accordingly. In this debate, I will explain why China needs to be contained, and suggest things we can do to counter their expanding influence. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org... Future of Asia The future of Asia can go two ways: restricted U.S. involvement in a trade theatre to be dominated by the unstable behemoth that is China, or free U.S. involvement to facilitate capitalistic self-determination. This all relies on our ability to keep lines of communication open with Asian nations and continue to trade with them on a regular basis. However, the goal is distorted as China creates institutions, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank [2]. In an attempt to control commerce in the region, disbarring the fundamental principles of international trade, we could not only lose access to developing nations in the region but they may create an economically distorted trade theater with potentially damaging consequences for the future of the region and, by extension, the world. One common argument for not containing China is that it is better off for us to invite them to the world community with open arms than to expel them–yet, how can we do so when China views the U.S. with contempt and adopts an “us or them” mindset? How can we open our arms to theatric monopolization of the SoE variety? We can easily see, by their heavy investment in nations which have been “forgotten” or “overlooked” by U.S. foreign policy, that in the past few decades they have been attempting to create deals on the Asian continent that facilitate the development of an anti-American and anti-free trade sphere. In order to counter with an environment promoting truly free trade rather than a distortionary false one, and to ensure the United States remains relevant in the region - we must continue to partner with developing nations in the region [3], like India, maintain strong relationships with our allies in the Pacific, and prevent Chinese influence, particularly SoEs, from creating geopolitical situations in which the United States and the free world is alienated. Why does this justify a policy of containment? The future of Asia is economically and militarily vital to U.S. interests. Our allies often rely on us to stand up to Chinese aggression in the South China Sea, and there are billions of dollars flowing back and forth from the United States to Asian nations, we get [4] approximately $77 billion in bilateral trade from Japan alone. If commerce is going to flow between Asia and the U.S., China can not be allowed to dictate trade and investment in the region, and we should proactively seek out trade deals with Pacific nations and those on the Asian subcontinent, especially developing ones, so that our relationships foster into a mutually beneficial alliance in trade, and perhaps technologically/militarily. Ensuring a spot at the table in future world affairs is a vital part of American foreign policy, and it can best be done by containing the reach of the increasingly powerful influence of China. [2] https://en.wikipedia.org... [3] http://qz.com... [4] https://www.census.gov... On the World Stage A common argument to be made in favor of letting China rise freely is that we can coexist as superpowers and work together to bring about positive change in the world. There are several reasons why we should not coexist with them, and why that is not on their agenda. I will elaborate in this contention. China, while attempting to expand their sphere of influence on the Asian continent, has gotten close with countries that the United States has tenuous or flat out horrible relationships with, such as Russia [5] and North Korea. These nations are opposed to U.S. interests in the region and allowing China to draw smaller nations into their sphere of influence with the likes of Russia and North Korea. Not only is this ideologically and socially detrimental to the region, it will generate an area in Asia in which China asserts dominance, which is detrimental to free trade and poses a potential militaristic threat in the future to U.S. allies in the region. Actively working to prevent the expansion of Chinese influence by asserting some of our own is the best way to go about ensuring the longevity of a peaceful and prosperous Asia. Containing China is the best way to go about preventing the spread of their influence because they do not want to coexist as a superpower on the world stage with the United States. In fact, what they want is quite opposite of that, and they have taken actions to show it. For instance, cyber attacks on U.S. corporations have continued despite a mutual agreement reached by the two nations [6]. The NSA has compiled a graphic representation of corporations within the United States who have been on the receiving end of Chinese cyber attacks. When we look at this picture, you can really put the magnitude of Chinese incursions into the privacy of American corporations into perspective. China is performing these attacks to gain critical information about infrastructure around our country, including but not limited to electrical power, telecommunications, and the backbone of our basic internet structure [7]. Espionage on this large of a scale perfectly represents my point: they are actively stealing the technology and secrets of American corporations, not for the sake of co-existing with us, but to produce what we have themselves. They have stolen and replicated goods and services from around the world [8] only to distribute said goods and services themselves. We cannot allow China to steal tech from around the world, reverse engineer it, and then sell it as their own. This is a huge detriment to trade and the flow of commerce around the free world, and China will be free to distribute stolen and reproduced goods on their own terms, and it is harder to ensure the safety of intellectual property. Increasing economic influence, combined with gaining a geopolitical edge on the Asian continent, poses a huge threat to U.S. interests and its allies. This contention ties into my case because it is crucial that we prevent China from having a trade monopoly or creating a situation in which they control the flow of commerce in the region. Having economic control of a region is only the beginning, and it can lead towards one nation having control of a specific region in militaristic and political respects as well. In order to guarantee the economic, political, and militaristic well being of Asia, and to protect the specialty industries of nations around the world, we must use a policy of containment in regards to China. [5] http://www.realclearworld.com... [6] http://www.pbs.org... [7] http://www.nbcnews.com... [8] https://news.usni.org... Conclusion China and its spreading influence in Asia poses a direct threat to the interests of the United States and its allies. Attempting to wrest control of the region economically, making deals with nations ideologically, economically, and militarily opposed to the U.S., and posing a threat to intellectual property and specialized markets around the world more than justifies the use of a policy of containment. If the Asian continent is to remain open to free trade and unrestricted trade policies, the U.S. needs to be working abroad to ensure that Chinese influence does not attempt to undermine those principles. It is vital that the United States plays a role in Asia in the future, and we cannot allow China to impede upon that goal. I have fulfilled my burden by highlighting why the United States needs to instate a policy of containment and what justifies it, and I am awaiting my opponent’s argument. Back to you Neg!