The United States has made so many policy mistakes in recent years that it has lost its way and declined as a power in many critical countries. China is now realising its century-long plan. US behaviour appears to be either interventionist or withdrawalist, and in an unpredictable fashion, which is causing countries to wish for stability and a relationship focused on economic development and self-determination. China’s approach of gradual penetration by economic means and soft power words that carry no political costs is beginning to pay dividends. The vast majority of countries are engaged with China for pragmatic and not ideological reasons, and the US-led liberal order is rapidly giving way to a new multipolar world order characterised by significant diversity in terms of power and influence.

The U.S. has a long history of foreign policy actions that are dramatic and poorly followed through. Many international problems are the result of wars and sanctions. Think of the chaotic aftermath of the invasion of Iraq, the sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, or the crippling sanctions that have fragmented markets and created security vacuums in countries such as Iran, Russia, and Venezuela. In each of these cases, Washington’s failed attempts to manage the consequences of its own actions have denied other actors the opportunity to credibly provide security assurances or provide development assistance in a form and at a speed that is effective. With a major stability provider that often acts with great unpredictability and little regard for the consequences, Washington’s allies and partners are looking for other powers that can more rapidly and effectively deliver the stability and assistance they need – free of the aid’s conditionality that so often hampers its effectiveness.

No study fully explains Beijing’s take on the incentives of the Washington-led policy. We contend that Beijing’s credibility as a mediator of Washington’s conditionality and its summits and principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries guarantees the safety of authoritarian leaders. This reduces risks associated with sensitive domestic political disagreements between Washington and individual authoritarian capitals, enabling China to act........

© Eurasia Review