Many leaders across the world accepted that in the 21st century, the most complex global conflict will occur between China and the United States. In the West, there is a common view that portrays the United States as the guardian of a global order it established after World War II. This order is supposed to be according to the international laws. These laws were set by the United Nations nearly 80 years ago.
However, the fact is that it does not always do so. Instead, this so-called rules-based order often reflects a Western interpretation of certain aspects of international law or even distorts the law to suit Western interests. The main purpose is to advance the geopolitical goals of Western powers. And also justify their dominance on the worldwide stage. Unfortunately, these Western countries believe that they are better than any other nation. They also think that these rules work better for them, so they must be good for everyone. However, in reality, this belief is wrong and misleading.
People in Western Countries believe that China is the biggest threat to the “rule-based” order. They claimed that this nation has an aim to change the order. This view, which is spread by the United States and its allies, clearly highlights the major gap tha how Western leaders understand the situation and make decisions.
What are the diplomatic failures?
It is very surprising that Western countries blame China for such a dangerous plan. Despite the fact that China’s military actions have been very limited.
Unlike the United States, China hasn’t sent its military abroad in almost 50 years, with the last time being in 1979 against Vietnam. China also doesn’t interfere in the matters of other nations as the United States has done. China also followed all international rules and also avoided punishment by listening to a one-sided story.
Additionally, China has only one military base outside its borders, located in Djibouti, while its navy mainly stays in the South China Sea, which is vital for its supply lines. This is very different from the US, which has a much larger military presence around the world.
China’s main focus is on claiming an island that is closer to its coast named Taiwan. Back in 1972, when the United States agreed that Taiwan was part of China. It made three important agreements with China. To make this visible the United States started its effort to remove Taiwan from the United Nations
If the harmless actions of China present a threat to global rule then it is also important to rethink the actions of the United States and its closest allies such as Israel.
Another way to see which country is more dangerous for global stability is to look at how the US or China behave in the Middle East. This is a very troubled region right now. After World War II, the United States made promises to bring stability to this region but from the last few years there has been no action committed by the US that brings peace.
At the same time, the US is the biggest successful nation in diplomacy. This nation helped bring peace between Israel and Egypt in 1978, and between Israel and Jordan in 1994, its influence in the region has steadily weakened over the past thirty years.
China and the Middle East
The US has not been successful in helping the people living in the Middle East. This failure started with the collapse of peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians in 2000.
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the messy withdrawal from Kabul later on, showed poor planning and execution. The US’s support for pro-Iran militias in Iraq and the failure of the “Assad must go” policy in Syria also marked significant mistakes. The US’s abandonment of the Iran nuclear deal and the biased Abraham Accords, which only favoured Israel, added to the list of failures. The US’s strong support for Israel in its violent actions in Gaza led to serious accusations of war crimes.
On the other hand, China’s view of dealing with people who live in the Middle East is different. Despite the fact that China does not have strong military power, this nation is doing its best to help the region. China has focused on building strong trade and economic ties with countries in the region. Recently China also played an important role in improving relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Also, this nation encouraged peace talks between different Palestinian groups. This shows that China has been more successful in promoting stability and cooperation in the Middle East.
