Will Xi Jinping have last laugh, as West grapples economic implosion
Photo credit twitter Friends of Russia
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, March 15: After brokering peace between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Chinese President Xi Jinping is gearing up to test his diplomatic acumen with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. On a high after bagging third term in the office, Xi has sprung surprise on the world with his diplomatic agility even while the US and Europe remain in knots over the banking implosion threatening to deepen their economic crises.
Almost as if he had been waiting for his best chance, Xi staged a diplomatic coup to bring Iran and Saudi Arabia on board to normalize their relations. China already has deep assets to link with the two countries as part of the ‘Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)’.
The US-based strategic affairs commentator Jorge Heine claimed that China only rushed to fill the vacuum created by the American preoccupation with the Ukraine War. The US had a patch affairs with Iran over its nuclear enrichment programme, while Washington’s relations had been frosty with Saudi Arabia ever since the brutal murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“People are sending me messages asking whether a geopolitical rapprochement between Iran & Saudi Arabia can be seriously considered. Here’s my answer: Iran and Saudi Arabia have been the two most important strategic pillars of the US once. They can now become the same for China,” tweeted Velina Tchakarova, another strategic affairs expert.
The diplomatic community is keenly watching the next move of Xi. His agility to emerge as the deal maker has taken the global community by surprise, since Saudi Arabia and Iran rapprochement will playoff with the civil wars in Syria and Yemen as well. If Xi is able to find a breakthrough in the Russia-Ukraine War, he would have taken a sweet revenge with his US counterpart Joe Biden. China had come out with its position paper, outlining steps for ending the Ukraine War, which found support from Zelenskyy also, though partially.
“Xi’s visit to Moscow will be in sharp contrast to Biden’s petulance. This visit and a talk with Zelenskyy may not produce immediate results, but the message to world rings loud and clear. China is the go to country when diplomatic knots need to be untangled,” tweeted Rajiv Dogra, former Indian diplomat.
China’s fast move on the diplomatic front had been well planned as Xi had sent his top diplomat Wang Yi on a whirlwind Europe tour. China is also bracing to hold a Central Asian conference in May, which is being keenly watched out by the global community.
About The Author
