China no more plays a second fiddle to America in Power Politics. By Prince Dr Wumi Akintide

China no more plays a second fiddle to America in Power Politics.

By Prince Dr Wumi Akintide

I draw that conclusion from the optics of the recently concluded Summit of Donald Trump with the undisputed Leader of Communist China

If you compare that Summit with the Summits held in the White House with the South African President where the American President, like a good Boss or a Drill Sergeant openly and condescendingly acknowledged that he was impressed with the ability of the South African President to speak good English.

If the South African President had insisted like President Xi and President Putin or even President Kim Jung Un or Enperor Hiro Hito that he was only going to speak in his native language rather than compromise his country’s sovereignty by speaking English, the American President would not have had the chance to openly comment on his guest’s ability to speak good English and all his guest could do in response was to take the insult and laugh it off as a joke.

The American President could never have pulled the same stunt or insult on President Xi who will not even give room for that to happen because he would have insisted on speaking in his native language and leaving interpreters to do the rest.

In this Summit the American President was flattering President Xi by calling him a good leader and showering him with praises, but not once did President Xi return the favor in his own response, if you were paying as much attention as I did.

The whole World can tell from President Xi’s body language that he conducted himself in that Summit as the Host and as an equal partner who set the rules of engagement by making sure that his guest respects the Chinese mode of doing Business in Diplomatic circles by not talking too much or revealing what was discussed behind closed doors like his guest would have done in other high visibility Summits he had conducted elsewhere around the World where this American President never shies away from from talking about the military power and the supremacy of America as the Leader of the Free World and the only remaining Super Power.

It would have sounded hollow for the American President to do that in China if the President had watched the Parade of some of the Military Hardwares of China that were on display in that Parade.

I watched the Parade on YouTube and could not believe my eyes on the progress China has made in the last 100 years!!!

No World Leader and nobody who goes to Beijing would not notice on landing at the Beijing Airport or any of the major AirPorts of China that China has turned the corner as a Military and Economic Power that the World can no longer ignore.

I am not a celebrity but the first time I landed in the Shanghai AirPort a few years ago, I could tell as a frequent flier that China which still calls herself a developing nation in all humility is a breed-apart among the developing nations of the World, if you know how far and how long China has come.

If China, Russia and North Korea come together to form the successor to the Warsaw Pact of Old led by the former Soviet Union, they would scare the Hell out of NATO which is falling apart and getting weaker under the current leadership of America.

No other World leader who sees that Parade of Military Hardwares and Equipments by China would dare challenge China without thinking twice.

I paid particular attention to the body language of both President Xi as host and President Trump as the honored guest as I watched the State Visit on television from the comfort of my living room in New York the Financial Capital of the World and the United Nations Headquarters.

President Xi as the Host was in total control.

The whole World knows that China is an ally of Iran and that. China depends on no less than 80 percent of her Oil Supply that comes thru the Strait of Hormuz which China wants to keep open.

It was part of the Agenda that his guest was in China to discuss and negotiate but President Xi did not move an inch from the position China has taken long before the Summit and he left America in no doubt about China’s position on Taiwan.
His Guest had tried but did not succeed in getting China to change or modify his position in any significant way, but the Host did get some concessions from his Guest on the possibility of further reducing the tariffs he had imposed on China because China had resolutely but skillfully retaliated by causing more pain to American consumers so Donald Trump has no other choice than to beat a retreat on some of those tariffs to the benefit of China.

Mr. Trump was hoping to persuade China to help him put pressure on Iran to do his biddings on opening up the Strait of Hormuz.

China did not move an inch from her previous position and his Guest did not threaten or reprimand China for her support for Iran or China’s views that the War on Iran was a big mistake.

China did not give away or give up on any of his future plans for Iran or betray in any shame or form the trust between China and Iran.

It was a Summit between 2 Superpowers and President Xi has made it clear he was not interested in competing with America on who is number one or number 2 on the World stage but he was more focused on developing the Economy and the Military Industrial Complex of China to become the best and the most powerful in the World.

China is clearly achieving that goal without pulling punches and without any molestation or hinderance from America.

The optics of that Summit in China have confirmed all of the above conclusions, if you ask me.

“Those who don’t know go know” like we say in Pidgin English in Nigeria.

China is now a force to reckon with as a Super Power and would play no second fiddle to America from now on.

I must add that the awareness is not lost on Taiwan which China hopes would ultimately become part and parcel of Mainland China either thru War or thru Diplomatic and peaceful negotiation that China is now fully prepared for, any way you slice it.

If America cannot easily rollover or defeat Afganistan or Iran , can you all imagine what would happen, if America were to take on China over Taiwan without the support of its traditional Allies in the European Union and NATO?

Your answer to that question is as good as mine.

China has the potential to grow and could predictably challenge America to become the first and only Superpower of the World.

It is only a question of time!!

I rest my case.

Prince Dr. Wumi Akintide a public affairs commentator and Author writes from Oyemekun terrace New York City