German Media: China Laughs Last
Süddeutsche Zeitung comments that Trump is mired in the Middle East quagmire, while Putin has also been severely weakened by the war in Ukraine—China, meanwhile, is steadily expanding its influence.
Süddeutsche Zeitung published a commentary stating that China has recently hosted both U.S. President Trump and Russian President Putin. Due to poorly planned wars, the strength of both America and Russia has been diminished. The article, titled "China Laughs Last," writes:
Putin arrived in China weakened. Although he still portrays himself as a pioneer of a "world order not led by the United States," the military and economic hardships caused by the war in Ukraine have left him deeply strained.
As for Trump, although his visit to China has concluded, his strategic intentions remain unclear. Trump attempted to curry favor with Putin, trying to break up the Moscow-Beijing axis, but ultimately failed. He launched a war in the Middle East, yet this conflict has spiraled out of control and is now harming the U.S. economy.
The mistakes made by Trump and Putin have made China the greatest beneficiary.
China understands well that Western companies all want to make money in China—and this gives it sufficient confidence. Precisely because of this, Western efforts at a “de-risking strategy,” aimed at reducing dependence on China, always end up half-hearted and fail to materialize.
Süddeutsche Zeitung notes that China, of course, also relies on markets and technologies from the United States and Europe—but when it comes to reducing external dependencies, China has clearly been far more resolute and persistent than the West.
In enhancing its global leadership position, China has evidently achieved considerable success. Its strength lies precisely in patiently waiting for others to make mistakes, while simultaneously reducing its own external dependencies.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1865848954841095/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.