Chinese academic warns Asia could become the main stage for World War Three due to US policies

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — The United States and its allies are being blamed by a prominent Chinese academic for potentially turning Asia into a “powder keg” that could trigger World War Three.

According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), Zheng Yongnian, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Shenzhen campus, has cautioned that China could find itself at the “eye of the storm” as the US realigns Nato’s strategic focus. He also warned that rising nuclear tensions on the Korean peninsula might provoke a crisis.

“Despite the US claims to achieve peace in Asia under its leadership, the reality is quite the opposite — Asia, under US dominance, is rapidly sliding towards war,” he was quoted as saying in an article first published last week on WeChat.

The commentary was released just a few days before US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s visit to China for “strategic dialogues” with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Zheng contended that the Asia-Pacific region is likely to become the focal point of any future world conflict, given its combination of economic interests, US involvement, attempts to create an Asian counterpart to Nato, military modernisation, and rising nationalism.

Despite efforts by the US and China to manage tensions, significant divisions persist on various issues, including trade, technology, and space. Additionally, the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait continue to be major potential flashpoints.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a part of its territory that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force if necessary. While most countries, including the US, do not officially recognise Taiwan as an independent nation, Washington opposes any attempt to forcibly seize the island and is legally committed to providing arms to support Taiwan’s self-defence.

Zheng was reported as saying that the US was “deeply embedded in Asia” and is increasingly becoming “a major organiser” of conflicts in the region.

Since the US “pivot to Asia” in late 2011, it has established at least seven “mini-multilateral” alliances, all aimed at countering China, Zheng added, though he did not specify which agreements he was referring to.

He also noted that a key US objective was to provoke a “strategic shift” in Nato’s focus to consider China a major threat, necessitating that leading European nations view China in this light.

SCMP said China’s relationship with the European Union has worsened in recent years due to significant disagreements over issues like subsidies for electric vehicles, human rights, and Beijing’s strengthening ties with Russia.

Additionally, key EU member states, including France and Germany, have increased their involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.

Zheng observed that although the US asserts its actions are meant to “contain” potential conflicts stemming from China’s behaviour, it is, in reality, “constructing a global war framework.”

He remarked, “China is undoubtedly the ‘eye of the storm’ in this geopolitical situation ... Naturally, addressing these profound geopolitical shifts is the most formidable challenge of our generation.”

Zheng also cautioned that the US is attempting to create an Asian counterpart to Nato, SCMP reported.

In recent years, the US has worked to strengthen its alliance network with countries like the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea, and has formed new partnerships such as Aukus with Britain and Australia and the Quad with Japan, India, and Australia.

Additionally, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand have been invited to recent Nato summits — a move that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described as an effort to “break down the silos between Europe, Asia, and the United States”.

Zheng noted that Japan has been playing a central role as America’s “proxy” and is increasingly acting as a bridge between Europe and North-east Asia.

He pointed out that developments like the recent mutual defence pact between Russia and North Korea are also influencing the situation, driving Japan, South Korea, and the US to bolster their own defensive alliances due to concerns over Pyongyang’s nuclear capabilities.

While many observers attribute the pact to Russia’s immediate need for military support in Ukraine and North Korea’s desire for advanced military technology, Zheng argued that US actions are also a significant factor behind this strategic realignment.