By Dan DePetris
There was a time, in what today seems like a strange era in a totally different galaxy, when the United States and China were thought to be destined for great things.
Preparing to become the first U.S. president in a decade to visit China, Bill Clinton defended his policy of "constructive engagement," in which Washington and Beijing speak frankly about their differences while developing their economic relationship.
"Seeking to isolate China is clearly unworkable," Clinton told reporters in June 1998. "Over time, I believe China's leaders must accept freedom's progress, because China can only reach its full potential if its people are free to reach theirs."
This piece was originally published in Newsweek on March 19, 2021. Read more HERE.