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China showcased its military might and diplomatic influence in a grand display in Beijing this week that is cause for global concern.
At the center of it all was one powerful individual.
Xi Jinping is taking the helm as emperor of a rising China, determined to reshape the world in its image.
He dons the attire of his communist predecessors, but represents a departure from the legacy of Chairman Mao.
Xi has increasingly aligned himself with China’s imperial history, eliminating rivals and term limits to potentially rule for life.
He is convinced that it’s China’s fate to reclaim its position as the world’s center, ushering in a new world order under China’s dominance, accelerated by the U.S. willingness to dismantle the current Pax Americana and Western uncertainty over Ukraine.
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China has the right to assert itself more forcefully on the global stage, but the manner of this assertion and the potential for conflicts with the West should indeed raise concerns.
Xi has viciously suppressed dissent at home through harsh measures, in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong.
His next target is Taiwan, which China deems part of its One China project.
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Western democracies are facing challenges due to China’s growing support for Putin’s actions in Ukraine, exacerbating conflicts and global tensions.
Western nations’ reluctance to pressure Russia has enabled the situation to deteriorate further.
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Autocratic regimes are aligning in support of Russia, while democratic countries stand with Ukraine. Beijing’s recent diplomatic event appears to have swung the balance in favor of autocratic leaders, which bodes well for governments that use authoritarian means to exert control over their populations.
However, this spells trouble for proponents of democracy, freedom, and law-based governance.
Autocrats are celebrating, while democrats need to be cautious.
