'It's not just trade war anymore', warns expert on Sino-US relations

A troubled Asia-Pacific expert Vladimir Terekhov commented on the recent US accusations of Beijing over China's "undermining" of the US defense industry.

In a publication issued by Foreign Policy magazine, referring to anonymous sources in the administration, it is claimed that China uses the monopoly of certain natural resources with the objective of "undermining the industrial base of the US defense", which was indicated in recent investigation carried out by the Pentagon at the request of Donald Trump.

In the opinion of the analyst Vladimir Terekhov, expressed to the Russian service of Radio, the investigation commissioned by the American presidency is part of a growing confrontation between the US and China.

"It's no longer just a trade war - confrontation gains global character.

There have recently been reports of an American bomber flying into the South China Sea airspace, while an American destroyer and a Chinese destroyer almost collided in the sea. Therefore, the situation is worsening, unfortunately, for all, "he said.

Another worsening factor and element of this "war," Terekhov recalls, is that the US, together with the EU and Japan, try to reform the WTO in the way that suits them.

"Thus, if a complex war is waged with relative success, China, of course, uses its resources to resist US pressure. War is war," he concluded.

Relations between the US and China have deteriorated sharply this year, when a trade war broke out between the two countries. Since the beginning of April, Washington has introduced new import tariffs, to which China responded proportionally, despite agreements reached in May.

US dissatisfaction is caused by the imbalance in the trade balance between the two countries, which, according to the US authorities, is $ 500 billion in favor of China.

In addition, Washington imposed sanctions on the troop and supply training department of the Central Military Commission of China and department head Li Shufu. The White House explained that the restrictive measures are being introduced because of cooperation with Russian state-owned company Rosoboronexport, specifically due to the acquisition of Su-35 aircraft and S-400 air defense systems.