Opinion | Is China on the right side of history

By Augustus K. Yeung

The wheel of history will always be on the move no matter which country is at the helm. Since WWII, the United States has been leading for a good start such as finishing off Fascism in Europe and Japanese Imperialism in Asia.

For us Asians, the footprints of American sailors and soldiers were seen in Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and elsewhere. It was especially more obvious in the 1960s when American servicemen were seen singing frivolous songs coquettishly such as "Tsim Sha Tsui Susie", depicting a bargirl who flirted with sailors in the red-light tourist district of Kowloon, Hong Kong.

That forms part of our collective memory in Asia in general, and Hong Kong in particular.

However, in the last decade or two, China has been exercising a different philosophy; the Chinese leader is calling for multilateralism as the old-world order needs a review or rewrite – to stop the American-led "rule-based order".

Some other countries in the Asia-Pacific region have also been calling for a multilateral world, which is taking shape as exemplified by the significant expansion of BRICS+ which is alarming the global world.

China is mounting a regional challenge to the dominance of the U.S. as its economic power, power of diplomacy and its modernized military are all developing fast and furious. Reportedly, America is feeling the pinch, seeing a rising China as a "threat". And so, there are catchy words such as "derisking", "decoupling" and "sanctions".

But U.S. President Joe Biden has a trick or two in his bag – as a seasoned politician: His "strategic ambiguity" is notably felt in recent years – when China was crossed for a time, and then charmed by a high-level team of U.S. officials who sang a chorus, convincing the Chinese that Washington wants to compete with China while keeping communications open so that situation would not go off the tangent. And the Chinese president has responded positively to President Biden's "peace initiative" which is now known as the November San Francisco Consensus.

What about the situation in Europe?

Aren't some of the European key bloc member countries echoing the "derisking" and "decoupling" songs – alongside of the U.S.? Notably yes, for the time being, but not likely in the long run – as "Trumpism" is being factored into the power equation, alerting the EU that America under the Trump administration might abandon its traditional ally just to "Make America Great Again."

The Russia-Ukraine conflict, too, presents another challenge to America's leadership. President Emmanual Macron of France flew to Moscow in the early days to solve the impending problem, only to run into American opposition on the one hand, and the oppositions from some weak-minded EU members on the other hand.

And so, it is solely left for U.S. President Joe Biden to call all the shots, unilaterally convincing the Ukrainian president that America would back the Ukrainians up against a Russian invasion, which has unfortunately proved to be a tragic mistake of historic proportion.

In the battlefields, the Ukrainians are losing villages and towns – with many of its citizens being scattered all over the world, even as far as Canada in North America, and Macao (a Chinese SAR) in Asia. And Ukrainian young women are seen working in Macao's City of Dream, a local casino.

As the war-inflicted tragedies multiplied, there's war weariness, even in Washington – where many of the politicians are unhappy about sending America's money by the millions to finance a proxy war. And it is now proving to be a liability to President Biden; it might cost him many valuable votes.

And then there is this Israel-Hamas war which is turning many U.S. leading campuses into make-shift battlefields – where the students were seen scuffling with the Federal Police much like those days when the American scholars and students were cornered by the Vietnam war, which had seen thousands of "draft dodgers" seeking asylum in Canada on its campuses.

For the first time in American history, Israel is now going against the U.S. president's advice and doing its done deal, embarrassing the world's number one leader, and possibly costing him his presidential election in November, which is less than six months away.

Prospects do not look good for President Biden, although he is a seasoned politician and a rational leader. He can now only count on his "old friend" Xi Jinping's understanding – for allowing him to spur Marcos Jnr of the Philippines to arouse the maritime issue over the Ren'ai Jiao or the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.

Two important variables remain significant in the world arena – which is looming large: a defying Russia and an ambitious Germany.

Russian President Putin is visiting North Korea, trying to make life difficult for the U.S. at a time when the incumbent president is busy fighting for his political life with his archrival, Donald Trump, the former U.S. president who is seen to be pro-Putin. The Russian presence in Asia is complicating conflicts between North Korea versus South Korea and Japan.

More importantly, Germany which has been indebted to the U.S. for uniting East Berlin with West Berlin is waiting for the time to lead a leaderless or divided Europe, which is beset with economic problems, waiting for Germany's financial, economic and military support – as it is now the third largest economy in the world!

The rise of Germany is a matter of time, and it might very well be at America's expense – as the latter is liable to lose its significant influence in Europe. Miraculously, Germany will be strong for a third time!

The picture of the future doesn't look rosy, though, for America – because either U.S. presidential candidates, whoever wins or loses will end with a "minority government" in the pending presidential race.

China is emerging as the leader in a world that is turning multilateral, with more countries not on America's – but China's side.

Which country is on the right side of history?

 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

To contact the writer, please direct email:AugustusKYeung@ymail.com

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