Opportunistic yet deliberate, China is capitalizing on US preoccupations with Venezuela and Iran to cement its role as a global stabilizer, per a revealing report. Beijing emphasizes economic partnerships over armed interventions, but alliances with pariah regimes erode this facade.
Ties to Venezuela’s Maduro and Iran’s extremists clash with China’s stability promises, amplified by its bold claims on Taiwan and Tibet. This hypocrisy fuels perceptions of expansionist intent, making nations adopt defensive postures.
‘US overload in Venezuela and Iran hands China the chance to recast itself as a steadying influence,’ the report observes. Far from ad-hoc, this aligns with Beijing’s vision for a new world order.
In our hemisphere, US activism in Venezuela aims to retain sway, yet China advances unchecked via China-CELAC, funding roads, ports, and power without ideological demands.
Iran bolsters China’s energy security; ignoring sanctions portrays Beijing as reliable against America’s coercion.
History books brim with parallels: ascendant powers thriving on imperial overstretch. Today’s China may be scripting a similar chapter, reshaping alliances for the 21st century.