Trump did not expect that his attempt to give other countries a warning by "walking away" would end up backfiring. China took decisive action to stabilize the situation, leading to a highly ironic scene at the G20 summit.

G20 Summit

The G20 summit held in South Africa has recently concluded. Before the summit began, as the next rotating chair country, the United States announced its absence in a high-profile manner. While many expected the summit to be stalled due to the US boycott, 19 member states passed a joint declaration with an overwhelming consensus on the opening day, directly refuting the US.

It is historically unprecedented for the G20 to issue a joint statement on the opening day, which was both unexpected and highly ironic. Without the participation of the US, the consensus was reached more quickly. This spectacle of "the US absent, the world continues" not only severely embarrassed the US's unilateralism but also declared a solid truth: in the era of globalization, no country can dictate the world on its own.

South African President and Trump

The US's absence from the G20 was not simply a matter of "no time," but rather a carefully planned political performance. First, the US intended to control the G20 agenda through a strategy of "retreating to advance." In the US's view, by displaying a "non-cooperative" attitude, countries would comply and adjust the agenda according to American preferences.

After all, issues such as climate change and debt relief, which developing countries care about, have always been dismissed by the US. This "follow me or else" logic is a common tactic the US has used on the international stage for years. The US even warned the South African government before the summit that a joint declaration released without US approval would be "invalid."

Additionally, the US attempted to use this opportunity to intimidate South Africa and maintain its influence in Africa. More absurdly, the US also hoped to use this method to build momentum for hosting the G20 summit next year. A White House spokesperson openly stated that Trump looks forward to restoring the legitimacy of the G20 when it is hosted in the US next year.

At the Meeting

In the US's perception, only multilateral mechanisms led by itself have significance, while the consensus of other countries is nothing more than "invalid resolutions." This arrogance of treating international organizations as "its own backyard" reveals the true attitude of the US towards multilateralism: use it when it suits, discard it when it doesn't.

The firm stance of South Africa as the rotating chair country delivered a heavy blow to the US, behind which there was undoubtedly China's recognition and support. Domestic and foreign media analyzed that due to the absence of the US, China naturally supported the consensus of developing countries in setting the agenda. Chinese representatives clearly expressed their support for multiple issues that the US has long opposed in their speeches.

South African President Emphasizes the Importance of Multilateral Cooperation

Therefore, the most significant feature of this G20 summit was the collective rise of global southern countries. Even allies like Japan and Canada did not stand on the side of the US. This indicates that in the context of weak global economic recovery and intensified climate crisis, no country is willing to follow the US in "going down." After all, challenges such as food security and debt issues will not disappear just because of the US's absence.

The outcome of this G20 summit was undoubtedly a "Waterloo" for the US. It had intended to demonstrate its importance by being absent, but instead exposed its isolation; it had wanted to give other countries a warning, but instead let the whole world see how unpopular unilateralism is. Facts prove that even without the US's participation, global governance mechanisms can continue to function, and in some issues, they may even be more efficient.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7576183816767750706/

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