President Xi Jinping of China has found a way to portray himself as the new leader of the world. This is what happens when America retreats.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has spent the last few days taking shots at the European Union, NATO, globalization, free trade, and American credibility. That gave Mr. Xi an opening – and this week he used it to travel to the Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland to try to claim the mantle of global leadership.
Mr. Trump's words have been opening up a power vacuum. Mr. Xi is trying to fill it. If the brain trust at Trump Tower is surprised, they shouldn't be.
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In his Davos speech, the Chinese President tried to pose as the champion of international liberalism and globalization. It's a bit rich, but it's no longer entirely unbelievable. Mr. Xi of course made no specific commitments to further the cause of economic liberalism, except to say that China would resist any temptation to engage in competitive devaluation of its currency, and would "keep its doors wide open."
Instead, Mr. Xi pronounced such edifying words as "Those who push for protectionism are shutting themselves inside in a dark room. They have escaped the rain and clouds outside, but also missed the light and air."
And while Mr. Trump has said that he is not "a big believer in man-made climate change," Mr. Xi pronounced in Davos on the vital importance of taking action on climate change – after many decades of smokestack-industry development. Major Chinese cities are still heavily burdened by smog, much more than those in the United States. Still, he's at least rhetorically acknowledging the issue.
The Chinese President is not among the heirs of Adam Smith and the free-trade campaigners of the 19th century. His regime is not liberal or democratic, and it is uncomfortable with the rule of law, domestically and internationally.
But Mr. Trump's rhetoric is pushing countries, including Canada, to consider looking beyond Washington. That includes opening their ears and arms to Mr. Xi, leader of the world's second superpower.
America's moment of self-inflicted crisis could be a rising China's moment of opportunity.