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OPINION:
In his inaugural address, President Trump said: “Our success will be measured not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars we end and, perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.” A clear message to both allies and adversaries.
Mr. Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to the inauguration, and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng did attend. A few days prior to the inauguration, Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi had a friendly and productive telephone conversation dealing with trade, fentanyl, TikTok, Taiwan and other subjects. Mr. Trump reportedly said he would like to meet with Mr. Xi as soon as possible. Media reporting said Mr. Trump had previously advised his staff that he wanted to visit China and seek to deepen a relationship with Mr. Xi.
A few hours after the inauguration, Russian leader Vladimir Putin mentioned in Moscow that a second Trump presidency could represent an opportunity for changes in U.S.-Russian relations. He blamed the rupture in relations with the U.S. on former President Joseph R. Biden while neglecting to mention Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
One day after the inauguration, Mr. Putin had a video conference with Mr. Xi and stated that the meeting aimed to improve “good neighborly friendship and strategic cooperation” between Russia and China. Mr. Putin reportedly said that both countries “jointly support a more just global order.”
It’s obvious that Mr. Trump has the attention of Messrs. Putin and Xi. That’s positive. However, we should remember the Feb. 4, 2022, visit of Mr. Putin to Beijing, when Mr. Xi spoke of a “no limits partnership” with Russia. What followed was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and China’s continued refusal to criticize Russia for its war of aggression in Ukraine and the satellite and space-based capabilities and satellite imagery they are providing to Russia, in addition to components and other materials needed to sustain Russia’s defense industry.
A constant theme in Mr. Xi’s numerous meetings with Mr. Putin is the “global order” and their unhappiness with the role of the U.S. in this world order. As Mr. Xi reportedly said during his recent video conference with Mr. Putin, both countries aimed to positively contribute to the reform and development of the global system. Both reportedly agreed to work for “lasting peace in developing regions of the world.”
China has assiduously worked on its outreach to developing countries, especially in Africa. Its Belt and Road Initiative, despite its many faults, does provide development assistance to several countries. The recent airport in Pakistan and other projects in countries like Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar come with a cost for the recipients of this development assistance. However, China is there with financing and the Chinese labor — a contentious issue — for these projects.
Russia and China work closely with the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates), an intergovernmental organization that focuses on economic and geopolitical coordination. Many Global South countries — and others — are interested in joining BRICS.
Unfortunately, it is this type of outreach that the U.S. has neglected since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. There was a perception that with the end of the Cold War, the U.S. system of governance became widely recognized as effective compared with other forms of governance. We closed the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) in October 1999 and cut back on cultural exchanges while closing some of our cultural facilities and libraries abroad. In retrospect, I believe this was an unfortunate mistake.
Our form of governance is competing with China’s and Russia’s autocracies. These autocracies appeal to both developing and developed countries for various reasons. In 1991, when the Soviet Union imploded, it appeared that liberal democracies, which ensure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for their citizens, were a desirable form of governance. We know it is far superior to dictatorships and autocracies, but this is part of the competition we’re having with China and others. To succeed, we must clearly convey our story and values.
President Trump has an opportunity to tell this story to the world. An opportunity to contribute to ending the conflicts in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip and other regions experiencing turmoil. Yes, peace through strength and diplomacy.
• Joseph R. DeTrani is a former director of East Asia operations at the Central Intelligence Agency and a former special envoy for six-party talks with North Korea and a former director of the National Counterproliferation Center. The views are the author’s and not those of any government agency or department.
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