China plans ahead in decades. US plans ahead less than 12 hours, and depending on the moodswings in the Oval Office are pretty much the definition of unreliable right now.
There was a fascinating quote that some friends around Singapore told me once: "When China comes, they build roads and infrastructure. When US comes, they destroy, enforce and leave emptiness"
And, given what happened in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and other shitshows I tend to agree.
China learned that cultural influence is playing the long game, and they're very successful with it.
China has been mostly concerned about economic links with other countries and it has few oversea bases comparing to any of the other 4 big dogs.
It doesn't have the mindset to be a region police, let alone a world one.
Let's all be honest here. At the end of the day, what China wants is for everyone to shut the F up and buy a big screen TV.
Preferably on credit.
Anything that moves the world towards that goal will receive China's tacit support. Trump's moves are seen to move the world away from that goal, so we're seeing some signs of discomfort coming from China.
But believe me, it ain't because they're concerned about Ukraine or freedom or "ideals". Or even because they do or do not want to be world police.
We can't think about their goals in Western terms because the fundamentals of the thinking are just completely different.
