As pandemics go, Covid-19 is one for the history books. However, before political interest in China’s handling of the virus dissipates, western intelligence analysts need to consider what lessons the world can learn from this latest tragedy. The recent behavior of China’s political elites is not an isolated incident in poor decision making. It follows a long pattern of aggression and a lack of understanding in the modern nation-state system.
President Xi Jinping and the CCP have consciously and consistently ignored internationally accepted norms of behavior over the last decade. The country has acted overly aggressive toward its own people, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries across the globe, often without rebuke from world leaders or international organizations. Earlier this week China boasted, although incorrectly, that it chased an American military ship out international waters in the South China Sea. The ruling CCP also bypassed the Hong Kong City legislature by announcing plans to carry through on an excessively harsh sedition and subversion national security law for Hong Kong which, in essence, breaks Beijing’s 1997 joint declaration to respect Hong Kong’s autonomy for 50 years. At the recent annual meeting of the National People’s Congress, it rubber-stamped a 6.6% increase it the country’s military budget, according to press reports on Tuesday. The examples are numerous and egregious.
While the eyes of the world are on the suffering caused by the Wuhan virus, China is using it as cover and an opportunity to further its international goals. Western journalists from major American newspapers reporting the truth are kicked out of the country. There is no free press in a communist country.
After the initial release of the virus, whether by accident or deliberate act, China had an opportunity to halt its spread. It failed to act as a responsible member of the international community of nations. Instead, President Xi made the decision not to stop the virus from crossing China’s borders by allowing infected persons on international flights leaving the country. China is following a somewhat desperate, long-term, plan to gain hegemonic status among the most powerful nations of the world.
As Sun Tzu said 2,500 years ago, to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill. President Xi and the leadership in the CCP have taken it to heart. While the world is reeling from the release of the COVID-19 virus, China is breaking the west’s resistance without raising a gun. Its propaganda arm spins story after story.
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In a Wednesday press briefing, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stillwell, responded saying that the United States does not like what it is seeing in China. “So given the massive dislocations that have been brought on globally by China’s mishandling of what should have been a minor public health issue in Wuhan, the world right now is focused on survival, not focused on Hong Kong. It appears that Beijing has used this opportunity to accelerate its agenda going into its next political season.”
The Trump Administration is not giving China a free pass on the pandemic or on recent events involving Hong Kong. The US Navy is conducting freedom of navigation operations in international waters in the South China Sea. American diplomats are holding China accountable. Stillwell said that the more the world stands up and is counted and says “…you need to live up to your commitments and follow through on agreements, obviously the more impactful this action will have.” It appears the United States, and hopefully the rest of the world, is waking to the danger posed by the communist giant.
DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media Inc., which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government. Each Friday, she presents key updates on China.
Illustration: Pixabay