CHANGE is the new constant in a world that seems to be getting darker by the day.

Sometimes, it helps if we look at things through another lens to help appreciate how people outside of our forever entitled American-centric bubble perceive the state of global affairs and relationships.

The Chinese president has caused great consternation by his willingness to brazenly threaten to invade and take over previously allied countries and put tariffs on others that do not support him in this pursuit.

He has asserted his country’s right to ensure no other super power can gain a foothold in the Chinese hemisphere, and therefore wants to take over a country in the Pacific Ocean.

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His government has imposed suffocating sanctions for successive generations on a small island nation off the Chinese coastline because, 60 years ago, there was a serious incident which almost led to nuclear war after the United States attempted to move nuclear weapons to the island.

The Chinese secret police, under government direction, have fixed many elections, overthrown many governments and invaded unco-operative countries over the past 50 years in what they refer to as their hemisphere to ensure compliant administrations were in power to serve Chinese interests in the region.

The Chinese leader has ordered the kidnapping of a world leader and his wife in the past few weeks, killing scores of people in the process, and flown the couple back to China to appear before a kangaroo court.

He has organised for the proceeds from the sale of oil seized from the country’s oil tankers to be kept in........

© The Irish News