The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
Trump’s China Trap
English Summary
This Foreign Affairs article argues that the recent flurry of diplomatic visits by Western leaders to China is largely driven by a strategic hedging response to former President Trump’s increasingly adversarial relationship with the United States and its allies. Faced with what they perceive as a predatory U.S. foreign policy, countries like Canada, France, and others are seeking to maintain channels of communication with China to avoid being fully aligned with Washington. However, this approach risks legitimizing China’s authoritarianism and reinforcing Beijing’s narrative of a rising global power. The article calls for greater coordination among Western allies, setting clear redlines, and a more assertive approach from the U.S. to deter coercive behavior and safeguard shared interests, particularly regarding technological advantage and supply chain diversification.
中文摘要
這篇《外交事務》文章論述指出，近期西方領導人對華的密集外交訪問主要源於對前總統特朗普日益敵對關係的回避性戰略應對。面對西方國家所認為的美國具有掠奪性的外交政策，如加拿大、法國等國尋求維持與中國的溝通渠道，以避免完全與華盛頓對齊。然而，這種做法有助於正當化中國的專制主義，並強化北京將自身定位為全球上升勢力的敘事。文章呼籲西方盟友加強協調，確立明確的紅線，並要求美國採取更強硬的態度，以震懾中國的施壓行為，並保障共同利益，尤其是在科技優勢和供應鏈多元化方面。
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