| This thesis analyzes the features,dynamics and strategic goals of the United States’ stigmatizing rhetoric and actions against China by the Trump Administration.The stigmatization on China by the Trump Administration is an inheritance and development of the three previous stigmatization theories about China constructed by the United States,which are the “China Collapse Theory”,the “China Threat Theory” and the “China Infiltration Theory”.As an upgraded version of stigmatization on China,the emerging round of stigmatization on China by the Trump Administration shows new characteristics of all-round targets,politicized motives and diversified participation of stigmatization.Influenced by the Cold War mentality and the need to maintain the discourse hegemony,it has become a common practice for successive US Administrations to stigmatize China.The United States defined China as a strategic competitor after Donald Trump took office,and the outbreak of the COVID-19 has caused economic downturn and social instability in the United States,thus increasing the anxiety and vigilance of the Trump Administration over China.These two factors have become the motivation for the Trump Administration to slander China and coordinate with its strategic intention of launching a “new Cold War”on China in economy,politics,security and other spheres.The new wave of stigmatization against China has paved the way for the Trump Administration to launch a “new Cold War” in public opinion propaganda and worked as part of its comprehensive strategy of rivalry with China.A “new Cold War” mentality has formed in the “new Cold War” on China by the Trump Administration,namely,setting up “imaginary enemies”,releasing “smoke grenade” and securitize the economic issues.The logic of the ideas of a “new Cold War” is embodied in the trade war on China which is the prelude to and a significant component of the “new Cold War”.By identifying China as an imaginary enemy in the economic sphere,the Trump Administration ostensibly demonstrated its willingness to negotiate economic and trade issues with China,but in reality it went back in the negotiations and tried to achieve the actual political purpose through technological blockades,trade investigations,and retaliatory tariffs.For the United States,decoupling from China’s economy will achieve the goal of curbing the development of China’s high-tech technologies and enhancing the international competitiveness of US high-end industries.The Trump Administration has used various channels to smear China during the trade war,aiming to establish “political legitimacy” for its trade war on China.In comparison with the US measures taken in the stigmatization on the former Soviet Union,China should take warnings,identify and expose the political purposes behind the US stigmatization on China.In addition,it is wise to stay calm to maintain stable economic and social development internally and strengthen China’s discourse power externally,thus creating a sound international public opinion environment for China. |
