A year after the start of the invasion of Ukraine, Beijing launched a diplomatic offensive. Main targets: the United States.
Wang Yi, the head of Chinese diplomacy, was received on Wednesday February 22 in Moscow, in person, by Vladimir Putin. Wang Yi: remember this name well, we may hear about it in the coming weeks. Because China, until now voluntarily withdrawn on the Ukrainian file, has decided to assert itself, to make itself heard, to assert its positions.
A diplomatic offensive in two stages. On the war itself first, Beijing tries to present itself as a mediator. China intends to propose a peace plan, a “political solution” this week. Problem: kyiv claims not to have been consulted by the Chinese government on this subject. The second phase of the offensive is a vehement speech against the United States. In a document released this week, China accuses Washington of wanting “constantly expanding by force”, taking as an example the military interventions “in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya”. and the document also mentions Ukraine.
So many elements that recall the rhetoric of Vladimir Putin, in his speech two days ago. On Twitter, Chinese diplomacy calls the United States a “first country in the world” in terms of espionage and breaches of international law.
It is not new that China thinks it, but it is new that it says it, even more so in this tone and in this context. There was talk of a “diplomatic offensive”; in this case, we are closer to the offensive than to diplomacy.
Why this more vehement tone in Chinese discourse?
China knows that its speech is hardly audible in the West but this is not the case in the rest of the world. There is a difference in perception. A survey carried out on several continents shows this. For example, nearly 50% of Turks consider Russia to be “a necessary partner” with whom to cooperate, according to a study conducted by the think tank ECFR. Half of the Indians questioned believe that kyiv must give up certain territories if this means that the war can be stopped as quickly as possible. Felt similar in Brazil, where President Lula refuses to side with Ukraine.
In short: alongside a united West on the Ukrainian question, other regions of the world are much more reserved. And then there is what is being played out beyond Ukraine. China hopes to weaken American domination. With another idea in mind: Taiwan. This island that Beijing considers its territory, while the United States on the contrary wants to guarantee its independence. Taiwan has just announced a strengthening of its military ties with Washington.