China's main threat is a moral one

China is imposing a reign of terror on religious minorities—Christian, Tibetan Buddhist, Uighur Muslim, Falun Gong and others. The state is using everything from concentration camps to facial-recognition technology to ensure that the only worship and belief allowed is that which submits to Chinese Communist orthodoxy. People who resist this mandate are ruthlessly plowed over.

In contrast with China, the United States was founded on the principle that rights are rooted in nature and nature’s God—not in government fiat. The U.S. should counter China with a resolute commitment to advance not only economic fairness, but also human rights and freedom of conscience.

The massive scope of China’s crimes can make it seem as if there’s little Americans can do. We are tempted to see the Chinese people merely as units of economic possibility rather than as human beings in peril, with real lives and souls. While no quick strategy could completely roll back Beijing’s cruelty, there are many steps the U.S. could immediately take to confront China—morally as well as economically.