U.S. Redefines China Policy, Distinguishing Chinese Communist Party from Public

The United States has outlined a new approach to its China policy, drawing a clear distinction between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese people, signaling that Washington considers Beijing’s government — not the public — as its primary adversary in strategic competition, VOA Reported.

According to an internal document obtained by VOA, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed U.S. embassies and consular posts to adopt more precise language when referring to China, avoiding terms that could generalize or negatively implicate the Chinese people or culture. The guidance urges the use of “CCP” instead of “Chinese” when describing government actions, reinforcing that the ruling party holds ultimate authority over political, economic, and military decisions in China.

The directive also instructs officials to refer to Xi Jinping as the “General Secretary” of the Communist Party rather than “President”, reflecting the CCP’s dominance over the state— a practice in line with previous U.S. policies under former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The move follows recent changes on the State Department’s website, where references to “People’s Republic of China” were replaced with “China”, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian condemned the updates, accusing the U.S. of fueling strategic competition and adopting a “Cold War mentality.”

In Washington, analysts see the revisions as part of the broader shift in U.S. policy under the new administration. However, experts note that such updates are common during transitions between administrations and may signal a more assertive stance toward China in the coming months.