Global surveys show China is now more popular than the United States in most countries. The reality is China hasn’t become more popular, only that Uncle Sam has become odious.
Two recent major summits demonstrate precisely why this erosion has occurred. At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and the Group of 20 (G20) gathering in the US, the Trump administration faced withering criticism for policies that have destabilised global commerce, violated international law and alienated even Washington’s closest partners.
The SCO summit, representing organisations that account for roughly 40 per cent of all the people in the world, issued a joint declaration that laid bare the depth of international opposition to American policy.
The Bishkek Declaration condemned “military strikes on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which have resulted in heavy civilian casualties and significant damage to the country’s economy”, stating that the US-Israeli attacks “violate the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter and create serious risks to international peace, security and stability”.