How America Can Stop Getting Played by China

Foreign Affairs • January 19, 2026 • world

Key Points:

In 1993, President Clinton attempted to link China’s most favored nation trade status to human rights improvements, but after little progress and strong pushback, the policy was abandoned in favor of engagement and economic integration, a strategy that has persisted despite China’s growing coercive power.
The Trump administration’s recent trade confrontations with China, including tariffs and export controls, revealed China’s ability to leverage its dominance in rare-earth minerals and supply chains, leading to fragile truces that often favored Beijing and allowed it to consolidate advantages.
China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–30) prioritizes industrial modernization, AI-driven transformation, and national security, signaling a long-term strategy to dominate global manufacturing and reduce economic vulnerabilities, while