G20 signals attitude shift as anti-China leaders get message

As the Group of 20 leaders gathered in Bali, Indonesia, this year, they faced a different world from the one when China hawks ushered United States president Donald Trump, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and other “idealistic do-gooders” into power.

However, two years of a pandemic, supply chain issues, the impact of the sanctions on Russia due to the Ukraine war, and inflation fuelled by misguided US policies have shown world leaders just how little appetite their citizens have for them continuing their “righteous” cause.

As the American policies, including the sanctions on Russia, rebound on the US, it’s no wonder that President Xi Jinping could smile and warmly shake the hands of the prodigals, whose policies have failed allies and their own citizens.

Anti-China leaders are being pushed aside by people and businesses who would prefer the good old days of cheap energy and food security.

Many in the global south are tired of years of manipulation by the US under the guise of human rights and are looking to the BRICS grouping, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China andSouthAfrica,aswellasChina-ledtrade groups, to create a new era. Will this herald prosperity or conflict? Only time will tell.

Soon, at the signal of US President Joe Biden, the rest will toe the line, not because of any change in their values, but because of the realisation that what is more important is hot food and access to cheap energy and that those who control these levers will be emperors of our brave new world.

An off-ramp will soon be found for Russia as Ukraine will be forced to negotiate and Nato may also retreat.