China’s Push for Global Influence: Xi Jinping’s Brand Management Plan

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s high profile visit to Russia was part of his grand brand management plan to project his country as a new global power. During his visit, Xi tried to position himself as a potential mediator in peace talks with Ukraine although Russia had a different agenda. Chinese President Xi Jinping visit was designed to project the ever-closer relationship between Moscow and Beijing to the world.  Beijing had sought to frame the visit as a peace-making endeavour to mediate in peace talks with Ukraine.

The planning to make diplomatic efforts had started six months ago. China had set its vision after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, formally established a new team of leaders and new structure for Party and state institutions after the two sessions. Chinese experts said that China is fully prepared to march full speed ahead in its new journey of the new era.

It sent invitations to heads of various countries for visit to Beijing. Foreign leaders and top diplomats from many countries and international organizations are scheduled or have announced plans to visit China. They include Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

In early March Saudi Arabia and Iran leaders shook hands in Beijing as the two countries agreed to resume diplomatic ties following China’s mediation. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, China’s special envoys for Middle East and Afghanistan issues have also started their new missions by travelling around the globe to mediate and solve international problems such as the Palestine-Israel conflict and issues between Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries in Central Asia.

It began with Saudi Arabia and Iran deal that bring positive changes to a world in turbulence. China has formally started its new journey after the two sessions and will take on the responsibility of a major country by making more contributions to addressing concerns of the international community, stated the Global Times. Honduras, an ally of the island of Taiwan, appears keen to send its foreign minister to visit the Chinese mainland to establish diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China welcomes the positive attitude of Honduras and is willing to develop ties with the country.

The list of invitees is long. It included Equatorial Guinea’s foreign minister Simeón Oyono Esono Angue and New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn. According to Global Times, hectic diplomatic activity shows that the US approaches of containment, isolation and stigmatization against China have failed. All countries, whether they are large nations like France and Brazil or small nations like Honduras and Equatorial Guinea, all need to develop ties with China, and China also wants to build stable and equal relations with them, experts said.

While Chinese experts lauded the charisma of Xi Jinping, others did not agree. The Moscow Times, leading daily from Russia clearly pointed out that both leaders had different agenda when they recently met. The article carries photos to substantiate the story and added that Putin and Xi Shore Up SinoRussian Alliance Despite Differing Agendas. According to the Moscow Times, Xi‘s visit was designed to project the ever-closer relationship between Moscow and Beijing to the world. While Beijing sought to frame the visit as a peacemaking endeavour, positioning itself as a potential mediator in peace talks with Ukraine, Moscow emphasized the pair’s shared strategic interests and their role as a counterweight to U.S. global hegemony.

Diplomatic experts said that Xi’s motivation was more puzzling. His embrace of Putin and deepening of ties with Russia was likely to damage China’s image in Europe and the free world. In an interesting juxtaposition, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was in Kyiv at the same time. The paired visits were a poignant symbolic and substantive reminder of how Beijing and Tokyo’s current alignment choices are roughly the reverse of their World War II positions.

Others said that Xi tried to present himself as a peacemaker, but it was clumsy. American and European leaders have already dismissed his peace proposal (that would essentially reward Putin for his aggression) out of hand. The contradictory plan calls for “respecting the sovereignty of all countries” and “territorial integrity,” but conveniently fails to mention Russia’s illegal occupation.

Some have speculated that Xi’s visit is part of a new strategy of writing off the United States and its democratic allies—which Xi sees as implacably opposed to China’s rise—and a move to deepen ties with Russia and become a leader of the developing world, all with the goal of creating a more multipolar distribution of power.

But experts said that the move to write off US will only further undermine China’s economic performance and worldwide diplomatic standing. Moreover, Beijing is now stuck paying the bills for a stumbling Russia and will likely see a poor return on that investment. Meanwhile, Putin’s is likely to go to Beijing, Xi will return to Moscow—but the outcome is likely to look the same. Russia is frantically seeking to look like it has friends, and China is taking economic advantage and project itself as a new global power or an alternative to United States, a global power.