No Cold War with China
Whereas, US belligerence towards China is growing in what some call a Cold War with China;
Whereas, we have learned from the “war on terror” that wars “abroad” often translate into wars at “home”, with the violent targeting of racialized communities;
Whereas incessant China-bashing by the mainstream media is inflaming imperialist, xenophobic, racist, and misogynist ideologies, triggering violence against Chinese, Chinese-American and Asian communities at home, such as the March 16, 2021 shooting of six Asian women in Atlanta, and the more than 3,700 incidents of violence, discrimination, and violations of civil rights against Asian Americans reported since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, some of which directly impact CUNY students, workers and the broader community;
Whereas, anti-Chinese racism has long roots in the U.S., including the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and the exploitation of Chinese workers who built the transcontinental railroad, the current demonization of China serves as a distraction from the coronavirus pandemic and weakening economy at home;
Whereas US military spending is expanding at the expense of funding education, healthcare, housing, and other essential social needs;
Whereas, a Cold War with China harms students, researchers and educators in China and the U.S. by erecting barriers to international academic collaboration and exchange;
Whereas, the PSC, in solidarity with international workers traumatized by US wars and military occupation of their homelands, has consistently declared its resolute support for anti-war campaigns, and successfully brought anti-war resolutions for adoption by our affiliates NYSUT and the AFT;
Whereas, we are still learning that ‘cold’ and ‘hot’ wars leave wounds that never heal and permanent scars on peoples, nations, and even landscapes;
Therefore be it resolved, that the PSC opposes and rejects the steady build-up to war with China by the US government, and declares that as anti-war US trade unionists and educators it is our duty to join in solidarity with Chinese fellow-workers, educators and scholars to oppose US military spending for a Cold War in China, which leads to further racism at home; and
Be it further resolved, that the PSC will bring this resolution forward for consideration by our state affiliate NYSUT, our national affiliate the AFT, and other labor bodies, so as to build a movement among US teachers and unionists against a Cold War with China.
Submitted by the International Committee
