Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

Joe Biden, former US vice president and Democratic presidential front-runner, said during a campaign in Iowa on Wednesday that China is not "bad folks" and China is not "competition for us." "China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man," said Biden. Biden's words triggered much criticism in the US. President Donald Trump said Biden's statements were "naive" and "very dumb." Some also believed that Biden has underestimated the world's second-largest economy.

Biden's comments on China were opposite to the so-called China threat theory. There are disagreements between Biden and his opponents on China-US relations and on policies toward China. Such disagreements show that the US has not viewed China reasonably and objectively.

Biden is proud of the US' global hegemony. He probably believes that Washington's economic strength and military strength are still respected and unrivaled in the world. By playing down China's national strength, Biden wants to boost Americans' confidence in their country.

On the other hand, those who disagreed with Biden have been exaggerating China's threats because they fear China's rapid development. Such a tough stance against China has become popular in the US. Advocating the "China threat" theory echoes the mainstream opinion. It also helps win more funds from the US Congress and thus serves the voters or interest groups that support them. Essentially, playing down China or exaggerating the "China threat" theory both serves US politicians' own political purpose.

Biden's comments on China can be regarded as a campaign strategy. It is common to play the China card in US general elections, but playing down China seems unusual. Biden has two reasons to do so.

First, he wants to boost the American people's confidence. He wants to make American people believe that the US' problems were not as serious as Trump said, and that no country could surpass the US as long as the US walks on its own path. Second, Biden wants to absolve himself of responsibility since Trump criticized the Obama administration as having not been tough enough on China.

Biden's campaign strategy does not seem effective. Washington is generally tough against Beijing, and few approve of Biden's statements. If Biden wins the Democratic presidential nominee in 2020, his comments on China may become a hot topic which will not benefit him in the long run. Consequently, Biden may want to take back his words or be more careful on China-related topics.

China-US relations have experienced twists and turns in the past 40 years. Competition and cooperation always coexist, but the two countries understand that cooperation is reciprocal, and antagonism will hurt both. For the two countries' leaders, managing disputes and preventing them from escalation are always important strategic issues. Beijing and Washington should draw lessons from history.

Many Americans have not viewed China-US relations from a long-term perspective. Some politicians pursue US benefits but harm the two countries' sustainable development. This is a huge strategic mistake. China and the US are different in terms of politics, social system, ideology and traditional culture.

It is normal that they have different views in certain areas. But the US' views on China may become increasingly biased if the country distorts and demonizes China's development. We hope a few people's statements will not drift China and the US further apart.

The author is an assistant research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies.