China and US looking past each other on trade and investment - for very different reasons

Comments on Gary Clyde Hufbauer “China, US looking past each other on trade and investment” 7/08/2015

There is a very significant difference between the reason why China is not included in the TPP and the reason why the US is not in the AIIB. China has been deliberately excluded by the US (and possibly Japan), while the US has deliberately chosen not to join the AIIB, and also lobbied its allies not to join it).

The US has demonstrated that it has been containing China’s rise not only militarily but also economically.

However, whether the US attempts to do those will be in its own interest or not is yet to be seen. It will likely damage its own interests more than damage to China’s.