short term gain for longterm solutions. So we routinely change parties in power every 8 years. Our political class has already been trained to think that away.
As opposed to china who has a tradition of being around for a couple of millenia and whose politicians know the same party is going to be running things for the foreseeable future. So they can engage in longeterm stuff like rebuilding the silk road.
You short term vs longterm ship has already sailed.
When W attacked Iraq, it made him incredibly popular, but he went out as one of the most disliked presidents in a very long time, that popularity cost America more than 4000 Military lives.

