Competing with China? The United States has disarmed itself

(CNN)The Trump administration's decision to eject China from its Houston consulate on a spying accusation is the latest move in a spate of US policies and actions that target Beijing. In recent weeks, the administration has sanctioned high-level Chinese officials, revoked Hong Kong's special commercial status, and delivered several high-level speeches directed at China — including on Thursday, in which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stopped just short of calling for regime change. China, for its part, has retaliated by ordering the US to close its consulate in Chengdu. The timing of this escalation is no coincidence: Trump has claimed to be tough on China for years but, in reality, he has...