By Liu Heran
刘赫然
The US has planned to hold a so-called "Summit for Democracy" online from December 9 to 10, with the so-called attempt to revive Western democracy. However, this conference actually aims at inciting division and confrontation, and attempting to undermine the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international law-based international order. The convention is sure to further aggravate international tensions.
12月9日至10日，美国拟线上召开所谓“民主峰会”。这一以所谓“复兴民主”为既定目标的会议，实则旨在煽动分裂与对抗，企图破坏以联合国为核心的国际体系和以国际法为基础的国际秩序。这一峰会的召开，将进一步加剧国际紧张局势。
Since the end of the Cold War, the US has been trying to forge the so-called "democratic alliance," though it has been left unsettled due to the strategic discredit of US. This time, the Biden administration once again manages to patch together a so-called "Summit for Democracy" may have the following considerations in mind:
自冷战结束以来，美国一直试图打造所谓“民主同盟”，但均因战略失信不了了之。此次，拜登政府再次拼凑所谓“民主峰会”，有以下几点考量：
To restore America's international reputation. The hasty withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan has been widely regarded as a defeat for the US' interventionism, and deeply disappointed its allies as a result. In addition, AUKUS, a newly established trilateral security partnership featuring Australia, the UK and the US, has triggered a nuclear submarine turmoil, leading to constant antagonism between the US and France, as well as the Australia and France. The international reputation of the US has suffered the serious dilution by all these mentioned above. Washington is in urgent need of a diplomatic conference with controllable issues under discussion to explain the situation to its allies, make promises, and restore its international image.
修复国际声誉。美军仓皇撤离阿富汗不仅宣告了美式干涉主义彻底失败，也令美国盟友极度失望。加之，美英澳组建“奥库斯”联盟引发核潜艇风波，导致美法、法澳之间矛盾不断。这些都使美国国际信誉大打折扣。美国急需一场议题可控的外交会议，向盟友说明情况、作出承诺，修复自身国际形象。
To divert America's contradiction at home. As of the end of November, the total debt of the US government has reached up to USD29 trillion, and the ever-raging COVID-19 pandemic has killed more than 800,000 people. The latest poll found that President Joe Biden's approval rating has created a new low of under 37%. All signs indicate that American society is in a state of fragmentation. The Biden administration has tried to divert public attention by exaggerating the democratic crisis.
转嫁国内矛盾。截至11月底，美国政府债务总额已达29万亿美元，持续肆虐的新冠肺炎疫情已导致80余万人丧生。最新民调数据显示，拜登政府的支持率已跌破37%。种种迹象表明，美国社会正处于割裂状态。拜登政府试图通过渲染民主危机，转移民众注意力。
To share the cost of democracy. In recent years, the US has been committed to continuously pressuring its allies by means of coercion and threatening, and asking them to substantially increase their military expenditures. It is reported that the summit may institutionalize the so-called "collective defense for democracy" as constructed by the US. For the US, verbal declarations from the leaders of other countries and regions participating in the summit, will not meet its needs. Therefore, the US government will put out a list of key areas of its concern, coercing the participating parties into boarding its chariot for its self-interest.
分担民主成本。近年来，美国采取威逼利诱手段不断向盟国施压，要求其大幅增加军费。有报道称，此次峰会可能将美国构建的所谓“民主集体防御圈”制度化。对于参会的其他国家和地区领导人来说，口头上的宣言，必不会满足美国需求。美国政府将针对其关注的重点领域列出一份清单，将参会方挟持在自身利益战车上。
To wage color revolutions. Previously, the US exported the so-called democracy to Central Asia, leading to constant turmoil therein. This time, the US, relying on the so-called "Summit for Democracy", tends to forcibly formulate standards exclusively based on its own, obliterating the basis for the harmonious coexistence between countries with different cultural traditions. In the future, the US is bound to work in concert with its allies to fight against other countries via dollar diplomacy or international assistance, or even create troubles for these countries and make such troubles spread to their neighboring countries.
发起颜色革命。此前，美国向中亚输出所谓民主，导致中亚地区持续动荡。此次，美国依托所谓“民主峰会”强行以自身标准划线，抹杀多元文化和谐共处基础。未来，美国势必联合盟友通过金元外交或国际援助，对其他国家大打出手，甚至制造祸端，并扩散至周边国家。
To set off a wave of sanctions. Against the context of its declining strength, economic sanctions have become a means for the US to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. However, historical experience shows that unilateral sanctions, which are likely to be overcome by the target country in a roundabout way, often have a risk of rebound. The US attempts to contain other countries in an all-round manner by the so-called "Summit for Democracy", which is bound to set off a new round of turbulence in the international situation.
掀起制裁浪潮。在实力下滑的背景下，经济制裁成为美国干涉他国内政的手段和方法。然而，历史经验表明，单方制裁往往存在反弹风险，而且制裁很可能被目标国迂回击破。美国试图借所谓“民主峰会”对他国进行全方位围堵，势必引发国际局势新一轮动荡。
To launch a public opinion offensive. Since August, multiple media including CNN and BBC, have issued documents to emphasize the importance of the summit and expressed concerns about the so-called "non-democratic" regime. Regardless of the outcome of this summit, the summit will be declared by the West as a historic meeting and major victory as usual, with continuous reports and interpretation followed. This move will lead to misjudgment by the politicians and people of countries involved, and even cause tensions among the people of other countries and exacerbate the risk of conflict.
展开舆论攻势。8月以来，美国有线电视新闻网、英国广播公司等媒体，均发文强调此次峰会的重要性，并对所谓“非民主”政体表示担忧。此次峰会无论结果如何，按照惯例，都会被西方宣称为一次历史性会晤和重大胜利，并被持续报道和解读。此举不仅会使参会国政客和民众对现实状况产生误判，也会引发其他国家民众紧张，加剧冲突风险。
Recently, a list of countries invited to the summit has caused "unexpected chaos." For example, the exclusion of some NATO member states, such as Hungary and Turkey, in the list of so-called "democratic countries and regions" as "certified" by the US, has astounded the outside world.
近期，峰会受邀名单已引发一场“意想不到的混乱”。比如，在美国“认证”的所谓“民主国家”和地区名单中，缺少部分北约成员国——匈牙利和土耳其均未受邀，令外界颇为惊讶。
Russian media claimed that some European allies of the US are not included in the invitation list, indicating the contradictoriness of this activity. It should be noted that the summit will not turn Washington into a democratic high ground; instead, the US will be further exposed as a democratic manipulator and saboteur in front of the world.
俄媒称，美国的一些欧洲盟友未被列入受邀名单，表明这场打着推进美国国家利益幌子的活动的矛盾性。可以说，此次峰会不会使美国成为民主高地，只会把美国“民主操弄者、破坏者”的真实面目更清晰地暴露在世人面前。
(The author is from Academy of China Open Economy Studies of the University of International Business and Economics)
（作者单位：对外经济贸易大学国家对外开放研究院）
