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What does China hope to gain from its post-Covid diplomatic push?
- Beijing seeks to reassert itself as key force in an increasingly multipolar world and boost resilience amid tensions with US, analysts say
- It is focusing on building closer ties with developing countries and countering Washington’s containment strategy, according to observers
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A steady stream of world leaders have descended upon Beijing over the past month, from French President Emmanuel Macron and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – a sign that Chinese diplomacy is back after years of Covid-19 isolation.
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The dignitaries have also included the leaders of Singapore and Malaysia, as well as Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who is visiting China from Tuesday through Friday.
The country is also slated to host major diplomatic meetings, including the China-Central Asia summit in Xian next month and the third Belt and Road Forum, expected to take place in autumn.
Many see China’s diplomatic efforts as a way to regain the influence it lost during three years of pandemic restrictions and to reassure the rest of the world it is committed to opening up and playing the role of a major world power in global affairs.
Meanwhile, issues such as the origins of Covid-19, human rights, trade practices and relations with Russia have clouded Beijing’s ties with the West.
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Analysts said China is ramping up its diplomatic offensive as it seeks to reassert itself as a key force in an increasingly multipolar world order and to boost its resilience amid growing China-US tensions.
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