How do you feel about the US-China conflict as an Asian American?

The prevailing narrative around China is that it is a brutal dictatorship that seeks to dominate its neighbors, so it must be contained. I think this narrative is based in truth, China is indeed an over-controlling dictatorship that encroaches on its neighbors. As such, it is good for the United States to balance China's military power in Asia, while providing an alternative to unhappy Chinese citizens seeking to emigrate.

However, starting with the Trump administration, US policies towards China have felt increasingly cynical. The microchip ban, TikTok / Temu / DJI ban, sanctions on ZTE / Huawei, detention of Meng Wangzhou, and the anti-vax disinformation campaign in the Philippines seem more intended to keep China down than uphold human rights and international law. Meanwhile, the disregard for the mass killing of Palestinians makes the human rights criticism against China feel hollow.

The hawkishness of policymakers and the media feels parallel to domestic trends within the US. For example, the way Western politicians treat Chinese scientists, students, and companies as a monolithic adversary reminds me of how Asian Americans were called "Kung Flu" and blamed for Covid. And the acceptance of China as a cheap manufacturing hub but trying to prevent China from competing in high-value industries reminds me of how Asians are stereotyped as good employees but not a culture fit for being an executive.

These trends make me feel like the US-China conflict is a reincarnation of the yellow peril, similar to the economic campaign against Japan in the 80s, with human rights and international law as rationalizations. There are legitimate reasons to dislike the CPC, but I feel like there is a difference between a Chinese or Taiwanese who hates the CPC because they want their county to prosper, and a hawkish politician, usually a white man, demonizing China and cheering for its collapse. It feels like many Americans have forgotten that Chinese people are humans who want to live first world lives and have dignity on the world stage, which deeply bothers me as a Chinese American.

I'm wondering how other Asian Americans feel about this situation.