Hubris and hegemony the bane of US policy

As the trade conflict between China and the United States threatens to develop into a full-blown trade war, complaints and criticism about US hubris and hegemony have become rampant. The US-China trade conflict may be the biggest global issue since the Sept 11, 2001 attacks and the 2008 global financial crisis, and it is having the worst impact on bilateral relations in the 21st century.

The remarkable achievements of China have unfortunately become an excuse for the US to devise more and more strategies to contain China's rise. As China has been reiterating, it is strongly opposed to any kind of trade war, because it knows full well there is no winner in a trade war.

Complaints and criticism about the US' irresponsible behaviors when it comes to tackling climate change and other global issues are also rising. Despite being home to only 5 percent of the world's population, the US produces about 25 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions and cocks a snook at the fight against climate change. US President Donald Trump has pulled the US out of the 2015 Paris climate accord, overturned the Barack Obama administration's environmentally friendly policies, and even threatened to withdraw from the World Trade Organization in total disregard to its global responsibilities as the world's largest economy.