BIG IDEA | ‘The world is increasingly dividing into distinct if not purely ideological camps, with both China and the United States hoping to lure supporters.’

'President Biden wants to forge an “alliance of democracies.” China wants to make clear that it has alliances of its own.’

‘China hopes to position itself as the main challenger to an international order, led by the United States, that is generally guided by principles of democracy, respect for human rights and adherence to rule of law.’

‘The world is increasingly dividing into distinct if not purely ideological camps, with both China and the United States hoping to lure supporters.’

‘President Biden wants to forge an “alliance of democracies.” ’

• ‘China wants to make clear that it has alliances of its own.’

‘Only days after a rancorous encounter with American officials in Alaska, China’s foreign minister joined his Russian counterpart last week to denounce Western meddling and sanctions.’

• ‘He then headed to the Middle East to visit traditional American allies, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as Iran, where he signed a sweeping investment agreement on Saturday.’
• ‘China’s leader, Xi Jinping, reached out to Colombia one day and pledged support for North Korea on another.’

‘Although officials denied the timing was intentional, the message clearly was.'

• ‘China hopes to position itself as the main challenger to an international order, led by the United States, that is generally guided by principles of democracy, respect for human rights and adherence to rule of law.’
• ‘Such a system “does not represent the will of the international community,” China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, told Russia’s, Sergey V. Lavrov, when they met in the southern Chinese city of Guilin.’

‘The threat of a United States-led coalition challenging China’s authoritarian policies has only bolstered Beijing’s ambition to be a global leader of nations that oppose Washington and its allies.’

• ‘It shows an increasingly confident and unapologetic China, one that not only refutes American criticism of its internal affairs but that presents its own values as a model for others.’

‘Mr. Biden made that clear in his first presidential news conference on Thursday, presenting a foreign policy based on geopolitical competition between models of governance.’

• ‘He compared Xi to the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, “who thinks that autocracy is the wave of the future and democracy can’t function” in “an ever-complex world.” ’
• ‘He later called the challenge “a battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies.” ’