China's Xi avoids war as other strongmen falter
An opinion article posits that Chinese President Xi Jinping has surpassed other so-called strong leaders—Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Benjamin Netanyahu—by steering clear of military conflict. In contrast to Xi, who has maintained his political stability, Putin, Trump, and Netanyahu initiated wars that ultimately undermined their political authority and harmed their nations' international reputations. Currently, Putin and Netanyahu face charges as suspected war criminals from the International Criminal Court. Meanwhile, Hungary's Viktor Orban, once considered among them, is now viewed as irrelevant. The piece concludes that China's strategy of avoiding war is a successful approach.
Key facts
- Putin, Trump, and Netanyahu have all gone to war to prove strength.
- The results of these wars have weakened the leaders politically.
- Putin and Netanyahu are wanted by the International Criminal Court as suspected war criminals.
- Xi Jinping has not gone to war and remains politically strong.
- Hungary's Viktor Orban is now considered yesterday's news.
- The article is by Gideon Rachman, Financial Times' chief foreign affairs commentator.
- The book 'The Age of the Strongman' groups Putin, Trump, and Xi together.
- The article is published in the South China Morning Post.
Entities
Institutions
- International Criminal Court
- Financial Times
- South China Morning Post
Locations
- China
- Russia
- United States
- Israel
- Hungary