Just Say No to Xi’s “Four Red Lines”

A major theme of Communist dictator Xi Jinping’s meetings with President Biden has been Xi’s demand that the U.S. accept what Xi himself has termed the "Four Red Lines.” These are actions that the U.S. must not support or undertake.

The "Four Red Lines” were most recently advanced by Xi to Biden at the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting held this month in Lima, Peru. Xi stated that the "Four Red Lines” are: the Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China’s path and system, and China’s development rights. The Communist tyrant is telling the U.S. president that: 1) the U.S. must not support an independent Taiwan; 2) the U.S. must not interfere in Chinese democracy and human rights; 3) the U.S. must not support the overthrow of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); and 4) the U.S. must not interfere with China’s advancement and development.

In addition, Xi stated in Lima that "words must be trustworthy and actions must be fruitful. A person cannot stand without credibility. China always follows through on its word, but the U.S. side always says one thing and does another, it is very detrimental to America’s image and damages mutual trust.”

He has said that Washington must not challenge them and that "they are the most important guardrails and safety nets for China-U.S. relations.” Moreover, Washington must abide by them if it wishes to avoid a "new Cold War.”

While any red-blooded American would respond to Xi’s remarks with a good "who the hell does this Communist dictator think he is speaking to a U.S. president like that,” three major points are salient.

First, the U.S. already is in a Cold War. It was started by the CCP, and it is high time that the U.S. joined the fight against it. The many tens of thousands of Americans killed by the CCP’s fentanyl alone shows that the CCP is at war with the United States and has no qualms about killing Americans.

The current Cold War with the CCP is multifaceted and fought, thus far short of kinetic war, but in all other domains—including the economic, diplomatic, and political. It is important to understand the similarities between this Cold War and the one with the Soviet Union. The most salient is that the motivation for aggression remains the same, the Communist ideology of the Soviet Union in the past and of the CCP today. The impact of the ideology of Communism and its role in driving the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) aggression is essential to comprehend. Communism is a Western ideology imported into China and is not a part of Chinese civilization, political culture, or political history.

But its effect on China has been profound and created a swath of destruction through that country. It has intentionally destroyed the traditional pillars of Chinese culture, society and civilization and killed many scores of millions of Chinese. Understanding the CCP’s ideology provides major insights into the People’s Republic of China’s behavior. It allows Americans to comprehend why the PRC is inherently aggressive. Communism seeks to force societies like China’s into an ideological Procrustean Bed defined by Marxism-Leninism. In addition, Communism requires aggression, including unrestricted warfare, against non-Communist states. The effect on U.S. national security interests could not be more significant as this explains the CCP’s aggression against the U.S. In the CCP’s worldview, the U.S. is the fundamental enemy to be destroyed.

Second, Xi has revealed the CCP’s "center of gravity,” they are terrified of being overthrown because they know that they have no right to rule China. They are illegitimate. They are so because the CCP is a product of Soviet imperialism. The Soviets played a dominant role in organizing, instructing, and, in almost every sense that matters, de facto leading the CCP.

The CCP is illegitimate precisely because they were formed and nurtured by the Soviet Union and its tool, the Communist International. The CCP’s seizure of power in 1949 was made possible by Stalin and the Red Army. In addition, they seek to sustain the tyranny of the failed ideology of Communism on the Chinese people. This ideology should be thought of for what it is: an illegitimate polity for China and the last surviving form of Western colonialism. The CCP cannot hide the fact that it is the product of Soviet imperialism and is, in truth precisely that: a colonial government. Moreover, the CCP’s abhorrent leadership has accelerated under the misrule of Xi. Seventy years of the CCP’s tyranny have led to the recognition by the Chinese people that the odious, corrupt, and illegitimate regime rules for itself, not for the people.

Given their august past, the Chinese people naturally possess a profound sense of pride in their civilization and its accomplishments. They rightfully perceive themselves to occupy a unique place in the world that has excelled in every aspect, including literature, philosophy, art, religion, and technology. Accordingly, the Chinese people have their own ideas about how to govern China based on their glorious and exalted history. Being ruled by a Soviet colonial government with a Soviet "knock off” ideology is not a part of the plan. Nor should it be.

Recognizing this introduces a tremendous vulnerability for the CCP, as their ideology is anchored and remains dependent upon Marxism-Leninism. Thus, moving to a better future for the Chinese people begins by recognizing the CCP is illegitimate and has no right to rule them.

Third, the right response to the "Four Red Lines” is total rejection. In essence, the affirmation of whatever Xi tells Americans they cannot do.

First, the U.S., not Xi, sets its policy toward Taiwan. U.S. must revisit its policy over Taiwan to reflect the strategic realities of the 21st Century.

Second, while Communist dictatorships abuse the human rights of their captive populations, which perforce all do, the rest of the world must not accept this. The Chinese diaspora, people of goodwill around the world, and the U.S. will speak for those oppressed.

Third, Xi knows that his government is illegitimate and tyrannical, and so the incoming Trump administration might revisit every aspect of its policies towards that regime. It is certainly appropriate for the world’s population to ask whether the CCP is a legitimate government and should continue to oppress the Chinese people.

Fourth, Xi is asking that the U.S. not impede the PRC’s power and accept its position while it seeks to supplant the U.S. without an adequate U.S. response. For too long, the U.S. elite have gone along with supporting the CCP because it has profited them. It was only the first Trump administration that turned the rudder and challenged the CCP. Xi’s effort to define the boundaries of PRC-U.S. relations with the new Trump administration is bound to fail.

Xi’s free ride is over. There is a new sheriff in town as of January 20th. This sheriff is unlike the previous one. He might have some demands of his own.

Bradley A. Thayer is a Contributing Columnist for Warroom and is the coauthor, with James E. Fanell, of Embracing Communist China: America’s Greatest Strategic Failure. Find him on Gettr and Truth as @bradleythayer and as @bradthayer on X. His opinions are his own.