China: All words and no actionBy Aadil BrarChina often describes itself as the natural leader of the global south: a power that respects sovereignty, rejects coercion and offers developing countries an alternative to Western pressure. It cannot claim leadership of the global south while consistently declining the burdens that leadership entails. Beijing’s campaign to marginalize Taipei depends on persuading developing countries that China is not only economically indispensable, but strategically reliable. In an increasingly multipolar global south, where states hedge rather than align wholesale, credibility might matter as much as capital. Venezuela is forcing China to choose between being a powerful, but cautious transactional partner and becoming the leader it claims to be.

Source: Taipei Times January 08, 2026 16:32 UTC