“The United States is keen to make messes in the world, cast shadows on order and stability in multiple regions and jeopardize peace and development in relevant countries,” said a recent article from the Chinese state-run newspaper ‘The People’s Daily.’
The article, entitled “How America became the Source of the World’s Turmoil,” also criticized the United States for attempting to “brainwash” the rest of the world with its ideological construction of “liberty and democracy,” an effort which forms the basis for America’s quest for cultural hegemony.
More and more, American principles have come under attack. In foreign affairs, Americans are divided on how to defend those principles. Without a clear strategy to defend American interests and values, the United States will continue to lose respect and influence.
That is why it is vital to support our democratic allies in Asia.
Donald Trump has criticized both Japan and South Korea for free riding off their defense alliance with the United States. He has also lambasted Japan for stealing American jobs.
Trump is wrong on both counts.
Both South Korea and Japan are highly developed, democratic countries. Chung Min Lee, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, points out that Japan pays for 75 percent of base-related costs, an amount of $4.5 billion. South Korea foots 40 percent of the bill to keep American troops in South Korea.
Lee says that it is actually cheaper to house troops in Japan and South Korea than in the U.S.
Donald Trump is also wrong to say Japan steals American jobs. Japan and South Korea are strong supporters of free trade and the free market. These countries respect the rule of law and protect private property. The Heritage Foundation’s Index for Economic Freedom ranks Japan and South Korea as sixth and seventh in the region respectively.
According to the East West Center, rather than destroying jobs, Japan is the fourth largest foreign country that supports American jobs through trade, and the amount of American jobs supported by South Korean trade has increased by 30 percent in recent years. Strong trade ties have led to billions of dollars of growth and innovation on both sides of the Pacific.
With instability accompanying the rise of China and the aggression of North Korea, America needs friends, and the United States can count Japan and Korea as among its few democratic allies in Asia.
But they also need us. If America disengages, our allies will be even more powerless to stop war with North Korea or stymie Chinese territorial aggression.
Communist newspapers like ‘The People’s Daily’ can print what they want about American motivations, but Americans should be confident that the principles of the Framers, limited government and individual liberty, when prudently applied, can do good. Those countries that have established systems on those principles deserve American support.
It’s in our interest and in the interest of our friends.
Cheng is a sophomore studying politics