China Expert Glaser: "The Chinese absolutely do not want to be treated like Russia"

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents China Expert Glaser: "The Chinese absolutely do not want to be treated like Russia".

When Washington talks about China, a comparison with Moscow comes up more and more often. It is precisely this comparison that Asia analyst Bonnie Glaser firmly rejects. In an interview with Handelsblatt, she sums it up in a provocative formula – making clear the core of her warning to US policymakers.

The Chinese absolutely do not want to be treated like Russia.

The expert on US-Asian relations assesses the recent Trump-Xi summit and, according to Handelsblatt, warns against the wrong strategy in dealing with China. Her argument: Beijing sees itself as a great power with its own interests – not as a junior partner that can be shoved into a Russia-like corner.

What is the interview about?

Bonnie Glaser has been one of the most influential voices in foreign policy for years when it comes to the relationship between the US and Asia. In conversation with Handelsblatt, she takes stock after the summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to Handelsblatt, the focus is not just on the symbolism of the meeting, but above all on the question of what course Washington will take toward Beijing going forward.

Why the Russia comparison is wrong in Glaser's view

Glaser's central message: anyone who treats China like Russia, she is convinced, misunderstands Beijing's strategic particularities. The People's Republic wants to be seen as a global ordering power – not as a state that can be brought to its knees with sanctions and isolation like Moscow. In her assessment, this distinction is decisive for whether the US can prevail in its competition with China.

What does this mean for the West?

The expert's warning is implicitly directed at everyone in US foreign policy and among allies in Europe who are debating a tougher approach toward Beijing. Anyone who permanently pushes China into a Russia-like opposing position, she argues, risks the opposite of what they want to achieve. Glaser's plea is for a differentiated approach that takes Beijing's own logic seriously – without losing sight of strategic rivalry.

The full interview with Bonnie Glaser is available at Handelsblatt.