The United States continues to see itself as a world police force even though it no longer has a monopoly on world domination. So how credible is it that the country’s Foreign Minister Antony Blinken is going to China to lecture them on their support for Russia when the US itself is funding both the war in Ukraine and Israel’s incursion into Gaza?
China’s Central Television quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping as saying during the meeting with Mr. Blinken that Beijing and Washington are free to choose their friends and partners.
“Both sides can have their own friends and partners and should not confront or harm each other. China adheres to the principle of non-alliance with all blocs and the US should refrain from joining small groups. China is happy to see the confident and open US and hopes that it will also assess China’s development positively.”
However, this does not seem to have gone down well, as Mr. Blinken indicated after the meeting that sanctions may be imposed on Chinese companies involved in trade with Russia.
Mr. Blinken’s visit cannot be considered particularly successful as the Chinese yesterday openly stated that NATO was responsible for the Ukraine crisis, with Beijing calling for an immediate freeze on the conflict. Moreover, the package of military aid to Taiwan recently adopted by the US Congress does not help matters. It is no secret that the US’s main adversary is not Russia, but China.
Israel, for its part, thanked the United States after the US House passed a foreign aid bill providing $26.4 billion in military aid to Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a much appreciated step, writing on X “that the measure demonstrates strong bipartisan support for Israel and defends Western civilization”.
Double standards continue to shine brightly, but when it comes to Washington and favoring the military-industrial complex, it’s all about the silk gloves, with both the EU and Sweden swanning around doing as they’re told.
#itsokwhenwedoit
Jenny Piper
