RIVALRY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA IN THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SPHERE UNDER THE DONALD TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

This article proposes a systematic study of the deliberately antagonistic US foreign policy towards China in the socio-political sphere. The escalation of rivalry between the US and China in the socio-political sphere happened extremely quickly, and all because the Trump administration tried its best to increase regular pressure on China, artificially politicizing almost every problematic moment in modern US-Chinese relations. The goal of such a tough policy was justified by D. Trump's team by the fact that the growth of the power of the PRC poses a direct challenge not only to the values, interests, security and well-being of the United States, but also to the foundations of the existing system of international relations, where America occupies a leading position. From 2017 to 2021 there was a sharp aggravation of rivalry between the US and China in the socio-political sphere happened very quickly. The quantity of mutual restrictions has exceeded the number of similar measures in all the years since the collapse of the bipolar system. The most powerful surge of mutual sanctions, restrictions and bans occurred in 2019–2020, when economic contradictions and the problem associated with the spread of COVID-19 reached their peak. In addition, we have to admit that due to such harsh anti-Chinese rhetoric that emerged with the advent of the Trump administration, US-Chinese cooperation in the socio-political field has practically come to naught. The limits of such comprehensive rivalry have not yet been exhausted, and there are no prerequisites for a reset of US-China relations yet.