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Ella Gould

Professor Slanker

English 1201

29 October 2019

The Incognito Influence of China

The United States and China have what someone might call a love-hate relationship.

Things between the two nations have been complicated throughout the last seventy years and

continue to be to this day. The tangled relationship can be traced back to 1949, relations were in

a rocky place as Mao Zedong formed the People’s Republic of China, a government the United

States wouldn’t get behind. Tensions grew when the United States went into the Korean War in

1950 to help defend Southern Korea from the communist north, fighting against China in the

process. Diplomatic strains remained constant between the two nations for decades, only

beginning to ease when President Jimmy Carter gave China “full diplomatic recognition”

(Timeline).

Slowly, but surely relations improve as the United States diminishes support for Taiwan

and focuses more on Chinese diplomacy. Despite a few more bumps in the road such as

Tiananmen Square, President Bill Clinton approved the U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 in

order to ensure trade between the two countries that would be consistent. As the years go by and

different issues are overcome the two countries are increasingly interdependent on each other, so

much so that by 2008 China becomes the United States’ largest foreign creditor. Throughout the

2000s and 2010s Chinese and United States interactions are still tricky.
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The two countries continue to work together economically, while also having constant

tiny conflicts. For example, in 2012 a Chinese dissident fled to the United States Embassy and

the two countries struggled to navigate what would be done with the dissident. Another instance

of tension is when in 2014 the United States indicted five Chinese men for hacking and stealing a

wealth of information of current and former federal employees. The never ending back and forth

between the two countries makes it hard to discern the true nature of the relationship. These days

the media sensationalizes so many things that it becomes difficult to determine whether what

happens between China and the United States is beneficial or not. It takes a great deal of work

just to understand the dynamic between the superpowers, but through this research paper their

relationship becomes clearer. No matter what tiffs the media blows up the reality is that the two

nations are extremely interdependent, with China influencing American life much more than

what is perceived by the public.

To understand how the relationship between two countries can work today, a broader

look needs to be taken at globalization. Globalization is the action of an organization expanding

internationally and becoming closely connected and interactive with foreign nations to further

the organization. Trade and business are unlike they ever were before as countries work together

more and more to profit as much as possible. As stated in the research paper, “The Economic and

Social Polarization in the Actual Period of Globalization”, “Globalization provides the decrease

in the role of the state in making the social regulations and it leaves the economy to the free

market conditions that increase the competition”. Less regulations means business becomes more

intertwined between countries. This fluid and ever-changing pace that globalization has created

must be kept in mind as the relationship China cultivates with the United States is investigated.

Knowing globalization can facilitate “voluntary exchange which is mutually beneficial to the
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participants involved” is crucial to understanding the United States and China’s relations (Uciu,

Titus, and German).

With the understanding that globalization and a complicated history have made China

and the United States increasingly interdependent, it is important to look in to how this

interdependence effects Americans. One way that Chinese interdependence with the United

States has come to affect the United States is through free speech. Something that is cherished

and celebrated by United States citizens is their civil liberty free speech. It is frequently thought

to be one of the most important civil liberties and yet due to Chinese business with the United

States it can be restricted. The perfect demonstration of this free speech restriction occurred very

recently. Only a few weeks ago a general manager of an NBA team, Daryl Morey, tweeted

support for protesters in Hong Kong (the situation in Hong Kong is of great conflict between

Chinese government and protesters). The tweet was quickly deleted after it was posted, and

Morey faced a great deal of ridicule. Even Lebron James went after Morey with the statements

“so many people could have been harmed, not only financially” and “he wasn't educated on the

situation” (Kennedy). From an outside perspective it doesn’t make sense that James would

criticize an NBA employee for speaking in favor of human rights, but when China’s business

with the NBA is considered it is very clear.

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Fig. 1. A political cartoon in regard to the NBA’s response to a manager’s tweet about

protests (Staff).

Morey was criticized for exercising his civil liberty because it clashed with Chinese

business. The NBA has close ties with China and at the time of the tweet there were preseason

games taking place in China. Due to the tweet that upset China events that players had flown to

China for were cancelled and Chinese networks refused to air games. The NBA cared so much

about keeping good terms with China that the lengths they took led to claims like “it was

attempting to appease China at the cost of traditional U.S. values — such as free speech”

(Kennedy). The way people view the NBA’s response can be seen in Figure 1, which insinuates

that the NBA is a “kiss ass” to China. There is one major thing to take away from this situation,

first that Chinese business can by proxy limit free speech. Morey apologized for his tweet and

didn’t voice support for protestors after facing ridicule, he was essentially silenced. This

silencing came as a result of the NBA wanting to maintain a good relationship with China. While

this instance of Chinese influence may leave a sour taste, Chinese influence can also be very

beneficial to the U.S.

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China invests immense amounts of sources and money into the United States every year,

providing for the United States a lot. A very specific case of China effecting the Americans’ life,

especially in an economic way can be seen in Ohio. Several years ago, a Chinese business,

Fuyao, decided to open a plant in Moraine after a General Motors plant that was previously there

closed. After the General Motors plant had closed many people were unemployed and in

desperate situations. The founder of Fuyao was looking to improve ties with the United States

and in turn opened one of its glass production factories in Ohio. The reopening of the former

General Motors plant as a Fuyao glass factory led to many Americans getting jobs after the

crushing closure of the General Motors plant.

One worker, Bobby, was hired as a furnace off loader at Fuyao and for him it was a gift.

When talking about the new job in the documentary American Factory, Bobby said “I was

thankful, I was blessed, I was just on my knees thanking God that I had something” (American

Factory). Others who got a job at Fuyao after losing their job at General Motors didn’t feel quite

the same way. Shawnea, a glass inspector for Fuyao, discussed how her salary of twelve dollars

and some change an hour at Fuyao didn't compare to the twenty-nine dollars an hour with

General Motors (American Factory). These two perspectives from people in the same scenario

are a good representation of the dynamic between China and the United States. Not only does

Fuyao act as a realistic example of how China and the United States interact, but it gives insight

to unfamiliar way that China effects the U.S. The public generally considers China to be

producing goods domestically and the idea of Chinese goods being produced in the United States

is a little baffling. The classic “Made in China” is the popular belief, but China produces goods

in the United States as well, employing Americans along the way. It is through manufacturing

that China does in the United States that China effects the American economy in a positive way.
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Other than providing jobs to Americans, this opening of a new factory led to other forms

of Chinese influence. One influence was the influx of Chinese workers Moraine to teach

American workers and help get the factory going. In American Factory, it was shown that the

presence of new Chinese workers led to a lot perspective shift in American workers as

friendships were formed. The American workers would do things from fishing, to hosting

Thanksgiving, and even inviting their foreign coworkers to shoot guns. It was quite a shift of

world view for American and Chinese employees alike. Workers’ rights were also very different

as a result of Fuyao being opened. Since it was a Chinese company there weren’t quite as many

rights given to the workers the way they normally would. Safety regulations aren’t as prioritized

and there is absolutely no chance of a labor union being formed due to Chinese work standards.

These relatively major changes to American lives were all a result of China’s opening Fuyao and

it demonstrates how China can influence America in many ways.

China also boosts individual states’ economies such as Alaska. China’s relationship with

the United States may be on the fritz at times, but China has strong relations with individual

states. Alaska’s economy is especially reliant on China. Sam Karson wrote an article for the

Alaska Law Review, in it he shares how “Alaska’s exports to China represented over a quarter of

Alaska’s overall exports in 2017 and included $860 million of marine products, $356 million of

mineral ore, $49 million of oil and gas, and $48 million of forest products, among other exports”

(Karson). The strong economic relationship between the two is evident through events like

President Xi Jinping visiting the mayor in Anchorage, Alaska before he visited President Trump

back in 2017. Not only does China import a lot of Alaskan goods, it also provides a lot of tourists

to Alaska. The tourism from the Chinese brings in a lot of money for Alaska as well.
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The complications of the Chinese and United States' relationship persist. Despite the

economic advantages that China provides for the United States particularly in the cases of

providing tourists, investing money, creating jobs, and importing goods, there are several hurtful

effects China can has as well. In one instance the trade war Trump is waging on China has

resulted in some harmful effects for American economics. Trump decided to increase tariffs on

China in hopes to keep trade fair, but his change in trade with China comes back to hurt

Americans. The increased tariffs lead to higher prices for American manufacturers importing

Chinese goods which in turn increases the price of American the good for the American

consumer. This higher price occurs as a result of China increasing prices of goods Americans

import to use in their own products. The increased prices lead to higher cost of production and

then a high cost for the American consumer. In other words, while it can be great to trade and

work with China, once the United States puts restrictions or regulations on China it comes back

around to us. This idea that things backfire is well illustrated in the following political cartoon.

The drawing depicts Trump taking a shot at China, but it quite literally backfires on the United

States. This economic influence that China has is of concern, but another effect that China has on

the United States is national security.

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Fig. 2 A political cartoon that depicts President Trump firing at China in the trade war, while

hurting Uncle Sam in the process (Bouscher).

For quite some time there has been a concern of how China can affect the national

security of the United States. The hacking of cyber information is a serious effect that China has

on the United States, “China is weaponizing its investment in the U.S. to exploit national security

vulnerabilities, including the back-door transfer of dual-use U.S. technology and related know-

how, aiding China’s military modernization and weakening the U.S. defense industrial base”

(Karson). China is increasingly using its economic influence over the United States to gain

technology and information that puts the security of the United States at risk. This is one of the

more dangerous ways that China holds influence over the United States.

China’s specific influence on Alaska has already been evaluated. The large amount of

marine goods, oil, and forest goods exported to China from Alaska has proven to be very

important. China doesn’t just import the United States’ goods, Chinese investment is another

very big factor as to how China influences the United States. In the following graphic, figure 3,
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the vast amount that China puts into the United States is very apparent. Chinese Investment in

United States’ graphic shows that investment in many different industries is abundant, whether it

be energy or finance. Even though investing this year hasn’t been its highest from China, it

doesn’t change facts like the peak of Chinese investment in the United States occurred a few

years ago with over fifty billion dollars invested. The immense quantity of money that the United

States receives from China is extremely useful and the vast amount of investing only further

intertwines the United States and China economically.

Fig. 3 This is a graph that shows the top industries China invested in (Chinese

Investments in US).
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Through many examples it becomes very clear that China has a great deal of influence

over the United States, more than what an American typically thinks. Not only is there more

influence from China than what is typically assumed, but there is also a good deal of positive

influence China holds. China is capable of lifting places in the United States up economically

and providing jobs to Americans. This is witnessed in both Ohio as well as Alaska, which are

just two examples of Chinese involvement leading to more opportunities for citizens of the

United States. In Ohio the Fuyao manufacturing factory provided a great deal of jobs for

Americans. In Alaska China provides tourists, imports American goods, provides jobs, and

invests in American businesses.

It is through all of the aspects that China has a great deal of influence over American

economics in what is frequently a positive way. At the same time China has negative influences

over the United States as well. China uses economics to have power over national security of the

United States as well as to threaten civil liberties such as free speech, as witnessed in the NBA

scenario. China had a lot of influence economically over the NBA, so much so that the NBA set

aside American values to appease China.

Simply put, China is so entangled with the United States in terms of economics and

business that China can influence the United States positively or negatively depending on the

circumstances. The most important take away is that since globalization has made the two

countries more connected economically, China has a much more influential role in the United

States than what the American public might think. This should be kept in mind to remember that

sometimes supporting things against China may come back to get us, like in the case of higher

tariffs mean higher prices for American goods. It could be by chance that China could negatively

affect the United States economically or it could be intentional. The United States and China are
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extremely interconnected, making it impossible to break away from China entirely and due to the

interconnectedness both countries need to work together to maintain a symbiotic relationship.

There nations are two of the world’s superpowers, affecting each other in many ways and it

should be kept in mind just how much China does affect the United States’ economy.
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Works Cited

American Factory. Directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, Higher Grounds Production,

2019.

Bouscher, Dylan. “Political Cartoons: Trump's Trade War.” The Mercury News, The Mercury

News, 14 May 2019, www.mercurynews.com/2019/05/14/political-cartoons-trade-war-2/.

“Chinese Investments in the US”. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/

Chinese-Investment-July-2019.pdf. Accessed November 12, 2019.
Karson, Sam. “Caught between Superpowers: Alaska’s Economic Relationship with China

Amidst the New Cold War.” Alaska Law Review, vol. 36, no. 1, June 2019, pp. 47–76.

EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=137007581&site=ehost-live.

Kennedy, Merrit. “Back From China, LeBron James Speaks Out On NBA Controversy.” NPR,

NPR, 15 Oct. 2019, www.npr.org/2019/10/15/770305688/back-from-china-lebron james-

speaks-out-on-nba-controversy.

Schweizer, Peter. Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and

Enriches Family and Friends. Harper, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2019.

Staff, The Week. “5 Brutally Funny Cartoons about the NBA's China Dilemma.” Image, The
Week, 13 Oct. 2019, theweek.com/articles/871288/5-brutally-funny-cartoons-about-nbas-
china-dilemma.
Swanson, Ana, and Keith Bradsher. “What's Really in the Trade Deal Trump Announced With

China.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 15 Oct. 2019,
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www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/business/economy/china-trade-

deal.html?searchResultPosition=2.

“Timeline: U.S. Relations With China 1949–2019.” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on

Foreign Relations, www.cfr.org/timeline/us-relations-china.

“Trump's Trade War.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service,

www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/trumps-trade-war/.

UCIU, TITUS, and ANA-MARIA GERMAN. “The Economic and Social Polarization in the

Actual Period of Globalization.” Journal of Academic Research in Economics, vol. 10,

no. 3, Dec. 2018, pp. 429–444. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=134240977&site=ehost-live.