The new anti-China pact complicates Xi’s plans and displaces local pro-Chinese
Who knows if the Chinese language includes a saying similar to “He who sows the wind reaping storms” , which is widely used by us and taken from the book of the prophet Hosea. Be that as it may, the new alliance between the US, UK and Australia ( “Aukus” ) brings this to mind immediately.
Under the presidency of Xi Jinping, the People's Republic has spread its tentacles over the whole world. Not satisfied with the great economic and commercial power achieved in recent decades, it has dramatically increased its military capabilities threatening, even more than the United States, all Asian nations close to its borders. Including those, such as Vietnam, which in theory are ideologically similar to it.
Beijing has unilaterally extended the territorial limit of the waters that surround it, ignoring any protest from international organizations, to the point of forcibly preventing the access of ships belonging to other countries.
Based on old maps dating back to the times of the late Celestial Empire, he transformed the South China Sea into a sort of "Chinese lake", filling it with artificial islands that have been transformed into military bases. Without, of course, having received permission to do so from the UN or other supranational institutions.
Interestingly, Donald Trump was the first US president to sense the gravity of the Chinese threat. Obama, on the matter, proved to be at least inattentive, limiting himself from time to time to sending a few warships into international waters that Beijing considers its own.
Even his famous "pivot to Asia" remained in practice on paper without any concrete consequence. And this is because the first African American president in history was convinced, along with his advisers, that the real danger for the West came from Putin's Russia, and not from Beijing.
With Trump, things changed radically and the much-maligned New York tycoon managed to convey the message that the real enemy was, precisely, Communist China and not Russia, a great military power but rather weak economically.
He tried to curb the Chinese intrusiveness with the policy of sanctions, even achieving some successes. And managing, above all, to push the recalcitrant Western allies to finally become aware of the danger.
There was, however, a major obstacle in his way. Until recently, we were convinced that the so-called "globalization" was of an American brand. Instead, it took some beauty and goodness to understand that he had almond-shaped eyes, and was the main weapon used by Beijing to carry out its strategy of global domination.
Also trusting in the numerous supporters it boasts abroad. The Germans are fierce, fearful of compromising their flourishing relations with China. Not to mention the pro-Chinese Italians, who often act under the radar. From the grillini to whom we owe the almost immediate signing of the "New Silk Road" project, to personalities of the caliber of Massimo D'Alema and Romano Prodi, who are also intent on not irritating Xi Jinping and promoting business with the immense Dragon market .
Then it was seen that, contrary to expectations, Joe Biden is proceeding in foreign policy along lines very similar to those dictated by Trump. The alliance between the US, the UK and Australia, equipping the latter with nuclear submarines, is a bad blow for Beijing, destined – or at least one hopes – to make the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party seriously reflect.
It is certainly no coincidence that the news was enthusiastically received in Taiwan, which the People's Republic would like to annex by hook or by crook (including military manu ). And also in Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan and South Korea, nations immediately exposed to Chinese expansionism. The citizens of Taiwan, in particular, finally breathed a sigh of relief, as it seemed as if the Americans had forgotten about them.
However, it should be remembered that “Aukus” is a bad blow also for the Europeans who, once again – and as in the disastrous Afghan withdrawal – were not consulted and only received the information in retrospect .
The irritation of France, which saw a billionaire deal with the Australians fade in a few hours, is understandable. Perhaps Macron should understand that the weight of his country in the international scenario is no longer what it could boast at the time of colonial rule.
On the other hand, Boris Johnson is the winner once again, since after Brexit the United Kingdom has regained much of the lost prestige, fully reconfirming its privileged relations with the United States. And indirectly reaffirming the political and military irrelevance of the European Union. Good news, therefore, even if Biden will have to confirm that he is determined to continue with courageous choices of this type.
This is why we are amazed when we read in some Italian newspapers that the foundation of “Aukus” is instead dangerous because it is a choice of war and not of peace ( sic ). In short, it seems to understand that, according to our own pro-Chinese, the only way to preserve peace is to not disturb Beijing's aggression and expansionism.
The post The new anti-China pact complicates Xi's plans and displaces Italian pro-Chinese appeared first on Atlantico Quotidiano .
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Atlantico Quotidiano at the URL http://www.atlanticoquotidiano.it/quotidiano/il-nuovo-patto-anti-cina-complica-i-piani-di-xi-e-spiazza-i-filo-cinesi-nostrani/ on Mon, 20 Sep 2021 03:46:00 +0000.