For several decades following the end of WW2, America was the undisputed leader of the world by sheer economic, military and political might. No country came near to challenging this position. The Soviet Union put up a fight leading the Warsaw Pact countries but failed to dethrone the Americans as the top dog. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Americans were confident enough to declare that they were the sole Empire on earth with no equals. They could do anything they want to any country, to any leaders and no country or leader would dare to challenge them. Then arrogance got into their heads with the neocons in Washington starting to behave like international gangsters, starting wars everywhere, invading countries, removing leaders of independent states, arresting, jailing and killing them, punishing countries with sanctions and threats, intimidating countries and their leaders with fear.
The whole world took this rogue Empire's bullying quietly without resistance. Also, quietly, China was stirring in a corner, rebuilding its economy, its infrastructure, raising the quality of life of its people, learning and embracing all the advanced technology and knowhows of the world, and also rebuilding its arms industry and modernising its armed forces. Fast forward to the 21st Century, the Americans were shocked that there is now an economic and military giant on the sideline that is no longer a pushover. But China continues to be what it was, bent its head and kept ploughing and prodding along, showing a disinterest to world affairs. China kept itself out of trouble, did not speak out, did not participate in the conflict and power struggle in the world. But its presence was felt, and the Americans were uneasy.
The Americans started to accuse the Chinese as a non participant in world affairs, especially when the Americans played rogue and rough, invading or attacking countries, and demanding China to endorse their aggression and crimes, even their massacres in weak and small countries. China did not respond and kept silent. But the world was evolving, the rest of the world that fell victims to the aggressive Americans, the bullying and oppression, kept turning to China, hoping that China would stand up for them. To their dismay, China continued to be an outsider. The Americans even accused China as irresponsible and demanded that China be involved in world affairs, meaning to side with the Americans. The Americans saw the rise of China as a big power and even courted China with a proposal of a G2 formula to rule the world, with the USA as the undisputed big brother of the G2. Again, China refused to accept the offer to the indignant of the Americans.
China was only interested in economic growth and development for its people and also for the rest of the world. China came up with several initiatives to work with the rest of the world for economic growth and common prosperity under a win win formula. This was followed the birth of BRI, BRICS, SCO, New Development Bank, RCEP, infrastructure and port building all over the world. Many countries of the Global South jumped onto the China economic growth engine and got richer in the process.
The American Empire felt left out of the game, not that they were not invited, but they chose not to participate in anything started by China. They adopted the role of a spoiler, accusing and alleging and fabricating all the lies about China's initiatives, inventing negative words like debt trap, Chinese aggression and expansion, China wanting to conquer and rule the world.
In the midst of all these developments, the world polarised into a fictitious free world ruled and tightly controlled by the American Empire, and a truly free world called the Global South. The Americans suddenly realised that they were only the leader of a fictitious free world that is not free in every sense of the word. America is no longer the leader of the world.
China on the other hand did not claim to be the leader of the Global South. China supports the idea of a multipolar world where decisions are made by countries of the world, not by a single country like the USA in a unipolar world. In all the organisations initiated or started by China, China deferred to the other aspiring and ambitious states that wanted to lead. Many of the top positions of these organisations were held by individuals of other countries other than China. China deliberately took a step back, always walking behind other leaders. This was not just Chinese humility. In a multipolar world, every state is equal, and China does not want to be seen as the leader and ended up like the Americans, acting and behaving like a gangster.
There are only two countries in the world today that have been claiming to be leaders of the world and wanting to be seen as leaders of the world. The Americans have been in this position for a long time and would not want to let go. They keep accusing and lying to the world that China wants to be the world leader. China is a threat to their dominance. No Chinese leader since the time of Mao had ever make this claim that China is the leader of the world or leader of the Third World or the Global South. It was the Americans, the evil and arrogant leader of the fictitious free world that accused China of harbouring this ambition. Xi Jinping also did not say so. China just wants a multi polar world and be equal among equals and jointly work and collaborate to work for a better world for every country.
BRICS is a good example of China's intent. China is the top economic power in BRICS and could act like the arrogant Americans to dictate to others. But no, it was the smaller and lesser states that called the shot, even opposing China, overruling China and holding China as hostage. An ambitious leader or state that wants to be the leader would not allow this to happen. But China took it in its stride, as a team player, not a leader. Xi speaks softly to the point that some Mickey Mouse thinks China is a sick cat.
The other country that has been gloating and crying that it is a world leader, albeit the leader of the Global South, is India. But the Americans ignore this foolish claim knowing very well that India is all noise and nothing else. China is the real leader without talking about it, without wanting it. So, the Americans keep on bashing China every day for wanting to lead the world. To Xi and China, who cares? China acts and behaves in every way as an equal player in a multi polar world.
This did not stop the Americans from badmouthing China wanting to be a world leader, even using its propaganda machine and funds to pay silly writers and Mickey Mouse to attack China on this issue. China wants to be a world leader but not recognised and not accepted by other states, not accepted by ASEAN. ASEAN is a leader in its own right. This is what they were told to write to demonise China.
In reality, a leader is a leader without having claim for it. Despite all the animosities and sanctions against China, Trump personally made a call to invite Xi to his inauguration. That is the stature of a world leader, an unspoken position attained by being one because of respect, economic, military and political power. The Mickey Mouse and silly writers can keep harping about China wanting to be a world leader, that China is not accepted as a world leader, are like passing wind. It only revealed how silly they are, how empty are their heads and thinking, and who is paying them to write silly stuff.
And for those claiming to be world leaders, thumping their chests, blaring through a loud hailer that they are leaders, they are only what they are and would be recognised as what they are. No amount of blaring and self proclamation would turn a Mickey Mouse into a world leader when it is not.
I repeat again, China does not ask to be a world leader, does not demand to be a world leader. China just wants to be a team player in a multi polar world. Stop the lies and silly allegation that China wants to be a world leader. It is the world that would decide if China were a world leader or otherwise, by their actions and by China's role and contribution to the world.
