“China’s reputation is not better, it will simply be proportionally above the United States,” said the expert in Asian geopolitics. Around the world, China continues to worry all its neighbors. “For them, Beijing is far from being a power of stability, but rather uses coercion to impose its will.”
For the West, and especially Europe, China’s absence in Ukrainian and Iranian conflicts may give it the image of “a reliable economic partner in times of peace, but one that cannot be relied upon in times of crisis. I don’t think there is a surge of trust and diplomatic attractiveness for China.”
Paradoxically, the war in Iran or the military operation in Venezuela demonstrate as much the instability of American politics as its military and operational power. “These are large-scale, inter-armed operations, on the other side of the world, very complex. After 25 years of military and economic growth, China is still far from being able to do the same. There is even some jealousy,” analyzes Marc Julienne.
China’s discreet role in the war in Iran is less a reflection of a long-term diplomatic influence strategy, but rather the evidence that it “still remains a marginal actor in international relations.”
>> An article to be found on the RTBF website.
