In his closing speech at China’s annual parliamentary meeting on Monday, Xi Jinping, the country’s most powerful leader in generations, had an ominous message for his people and for those listening beyond its borders. “After a century of struggle, our national humiliation has been erased … the Chinese nation’s great revival is on an irreversible path,” he warned.
The abrasive tone of much of the rhetoric coming out of Beijing last week may have dashed the hopes of those in the west who had hoped for a softening of mood between Beijing and Washington. But the fact remains that China still needs to maintain nuanced relationships with much of the world if it is to achieve its goals. Senior China correspondent Amy Hawkins looks at the geopolitical relationships Beijing must navigate, as well as Xi’s own rising ambitions as a player on the global stage.
