Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics (Raging Waters)

Diplomacy took on new characteristics in the past decade with the rise of Xi Jinping the tone of Donald Trump and the uncertainty of Joe Biden amidst Chinas Wolf Warrior attacks. Nevertheless diplomacy is now a mix of Orwellian doublespeak groupthink and Newspeak. In a battle between communism and democracy where Chinese President Xi calls for his comrades to be unyielding Marxist Atheists America struggles to determine its direction.China has its own directional challenges though its bold Made in China 2025 where global products are manufactured by millions of incarcerated or semi-incarcerated workers at almost no pay is coming along well. Similarly Beijings audacious vision for 2049 its one-hundredth anniversary to be the global leader took long strides during the pandemic as other countries locked down new laws were imposed in the South China Sea an aggressive clampdown was brought down on Hong Kong and the digital yuan made its debut.Chinas aggressive approach to international politics discourse and military incursions has been nothing short of intimidation and outright bullying. The South China Sea East China Sea and the Indo-Pacific have been flashpoints for conflict. The looming threat to Taiwan is a tinderbox waiting to explode. Beijings muscle-flexing in Australia swirled into a blinding trade storm and incursions in India Bhutan Nepal and elsewhere are just part of Chinas brand of diplomacy. With dozens of countries trapped in debt and now beholden to China the future will be determined by Chinas next steps in Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics.