While China has seen the epidemic appear on its soil, all economic indicators are green, compared to European and North American powers.

Would the nation of Xi Jinping now be in the process of imposing its views on diplomatic ground?

ANALYSIS

At the start of 2021, the eyes of all diplomats are on Beijing, where President Xi Jinping has just sent his greetings to a nation of 1.4 billion inhabitants.

2020 has been called an "extraordinary" year by the Chinese president, who hopes to lead the world's leading power by 2035. The nature of relations between China and the rest of the world will be one of the major strategic issues for the country. year 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic which has ravaged the planet and its economy over the past twelve months has indeed profoundly changed the perception of power relations on an international scale.

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Faced with the virus, the effectiveness of the Chinese device

Paradoxically, although the disease has appeared in China and this country can be suspected of being partially responsible for its uncontrolled spread due to its secrecy or even its lies, the West today appears to be the big loser of this cataclysm. sanitary.

Economically, the year ended with a 7% contraction in global wealth, the deepest recession since World War II.

Unemployment rates are likely to soar around the world in the coming months.

For its part, Beijing is already returning to growth with an increase of around 5% in the third quarter of 2020.

The Chinese Communist Party has used all the power of its apparatus to control the spread of the virus without qualms and without concern for individual rights.

Meanwhile Western democracies have tempered, groped, and are still looking for the parade.

These procrastinations are notably symbolized by the denialist policy of the American administration under Donald Trump.

The latter has never taken the measure of the challenge posed to the world.

By refusing to fulfill his traditional role of leader, he has opened up considerable space for Chinese leaders.

Alternative to the liberal system

As the backdrop to his speech, Xi Jinping now describes the Chinese communist model as a political alternative to the liberal system, a model of effective governance, able to replace Western democracy.

Its ambition is now to quickly occupy first place ahead of the United States and the European Union in all fields: in economics, in scientific research, in the military field and therefore in diplomatic influence.

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For Brussels and Washington, it is impossible to meet such ambitions with simple free trade agreements negotiated in a position of weakness, in division and without guarantee clauses on their terms of application.

Within the World Trade Organization, for example, China has always hijacked the rules for its own benefit without ever respecting the duties relating to its rights.

This line must be fixed today so as not to have to look away modestly tomorrow when the Middle Empire decides to occupy the China Sea, to assimilate Tibet, to bend Hong Kong, to enslave Xinjiang or even annex Taiwan.