US imperialism disguised under cloak of 'ideals'

Editor's note: Some short-sighted politicians in the United States are destroying their self-trumpeted moral principles with their excessive pursuit of self-interest. Zhong Sheng, a columnist for People's Daily, comments:

Some US politicians talk of "free, fair and reciprocal trade", but they use tariffs to try and blackmail other countries. They talk about "creating an open investment environment", but in fact they try to suppress foreign companies without any substantial evidence. When the US encounters problems at home, they choose to deceive the public and shift the focus of domestic attention abroad. They talk about international responsibilities almost every day, but choose to unilaterally withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement and other multilateral deals. They proclaim the US is an "important force" for maintaining world peace, while the country wantonly interferes in other countries' internal affairs and undermines peace and global stability.

A recent Gallup poll found that in 134 countries surveyed, the number of people with a positive view of the US continues to decline, down nearly 20 percentage points from a few years ago. Nowadays, more and more people realize the truth of the US style of morality: What is in the US' interests is "moral", and what does not help the US achieve its "America First" strategy is "immoral".