China needs to look beyond its domestic troubles
The script at China’s National People’s Congress is pre-determined months before the event, but there had been speculation this week that Beijing might name a new foreign minister. Instead, it seems senior diplomat Wang Yi will continue in the role. The world’s second-largest economy has missed a trick.
While Wang is credible, highly respected and well known, China is increasingly losing friends and influence in the world, and needs a new envoy to reset the tone and work to create some goodwill. For now, it is clear that domestic stability is President Xi Jinping’s priority, even as tensions escalate across the region. No surprise that among the foreign policy issues Wang highlighted at an annual press briefing in Beijing on Thursday, the US, Taiwan and Russia were at the top of the list, along with relations in the South China Sea.
That’s not to say the long-serving emissary isn’t doing a half-decent job. He has recently had tough talk for Europe, met with his counterpart in the US, and is expected to go to Australia soon in a sign of warmer relations there. Wang may bring a steady hand, but he’s also quick to call Washington out over its policies, particularly around China’s access to advanced chips.
“The US has been devising various tactics to suppress China and keeps lengthening its unilateral sanctions list, reaching bewildering levels of unfathomable absurdity," he said. Although Wang is repeating a lot of the old foreign policy tropes from the Communist Party doctrine, and has yet to introduce fresh or new ideas, he is a picture of stability. He brings much-needed order to Xi’s chaotic inner circle after the previous foreign minister—Qin Gang—was unceremoniously, and mysteriously, removed just seven months into
. Read more on livemint.com
