US double standards.Illustration:Liu Rui/GT

The rumor made up by the Wall Street Journal that China would spend billions of dollars to build an "electronic eavesdropping facility" in Cuba is still fermenting in the US. This has been enough to confirm the previous assumptions of many people, including us, that there is a direct and close relationship with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's reported China visit.

It is obvious that some people in the US want to spoil the possible visit again, and the White House's subsequent performance is not so much refuting the rumor, but a rumor-style explanation. It wanted to extract itself from the rumor, and at the same time, it did not forget to add some newsy elements to it. It makes people feel that the role played by the US government in this matter is not simple. If there hadn't been a round of hype about the "balloon incident" in the US in February, the current show might have a little more novelty. The US side has always directed and acted by itself, and this time the screenwriter has added some new exciting elements, but the script as a whole is still old-fashioned and crappy. The more serious the actors pretend to be on stage, the more ridiculous they appear. Every detail makes people feel absurd.

The rumor itself this time is too absurd to be analyzed with professional knowledge. Normal people think it is impossible when they hear it. There are two main feelings from the Chinese people: One is that Americans are really good at acting, and the second is that let it perform, while we are not interested at all. Some US officials most want to see China prove its innocence in a panic, but people can never prove what they have not done. If we don't join the show, we won't be led by them. Their performance with ulterior motives will become a de facto international shame.

To be honest, it is necessary for the Chinese, who are regarded as a key target audience by the US, to maintain such a sense of sobriety and detachment. The US media reported that Blinken will visit China on June 18, but China has neither confirmed nor denied it. To some extent, this is a kind of prejudgment and prevention of US uncertainty. 

It can be said that this time the US broke out rumors related to China at a special moment, which is within our expectations. The US is very good at playing this game. On the one hand, it talks about improving relations, and on the other hand, it creates tension. In the past two years, anything that might promote the easing of China-US relations has not gone smoothly. It has always encountered all kinds of strange stumbling blocks in the US. The ups and downs surrounding Blinken's visit to China in the US is a new example.

With so many incidents like this, we have come to understand they are not interludes, or accidents, to China-US relations, but rather organized and precise attacks by certain political forces in the US. When Chinese people have a more comprehensive understanding and psychological preparation for American political integrity, they will have stronger immunity and resistance to US' breaches of promises, flip-flopping, or hypocrisy. This will allow us to completely abandon our illusions about the US and focus our main efforts on doing our own things well. 

Interestingly, it is precisely at this moment that the US is starting to complain about China's coldness toward it, which in turn shows that we are doing the right thing and need to continue this mentality and attitude toward the US until it shows enough sincerity. We are not afraid to speculate with the greatest malice about some American radical politicians. This is a conclusion made based on the experience of Chinese people dealing with the US in recent years, as well as a kind of sobriety and rationality.

The US has staged one show after another, but it's actually the same old faces taking turns on stage. For example, this time it's Senator Marco Rubio that is jumping the highest again, and these few lawmakers in the US Congress are always "anti-China" and will strike at anything Chinese. As for the White House, one of the main characters, it exhibits a certain complexity and versatility. The White House has a motive to exploit and manipulate this incident to create an issue before Blinken's visit to China, ensuring that it takes the initiative against China without losing control. This is a common tactic of the US. 

Let's see what kind of tricks Washington will come up with in the next few days. We might as well remain steadfast in the face of change. Since the US has repeatedly emphasized the need to strengthen high-level communication with China, whether Blinken will visit China is a litmus test of  US' sincerity and political maneuvering ability. Not only  the Chinese people, but also the whole world are watching how the show Americans are playing will end.