As China flexes its muscles, the US President needs an enemy to boost his flagging re-election hopes, says Jim Duffy

Place your bets! Place your bets! Just what on Earth is gonna happen now on planet Earth?

Well, it is fair to say that we have the worst set of leaders ever since the term ‘leadership’ was invented.

Putin in Russia is essentially installing himself as the anointed one who shall never be removed. His grip on power is palpable. What an operator and smart guy he is – so long as it makes him richer and more powerful.

He has the army, the bankers, the oligarchs, the press and almost anything else that is important to keep him pump-primed on the throne. He shows no sign of wanting to start big costly wars and while he adds to his billions, why would he? He knows the consequences. So, nothing to fear here as we battle on through a pandemic. God bless capitalism.

What about China? How do you feel about this communist country that relies on capitalism to feed its thirst for economic and hegemonic global power?

It’s all bit topsy-turvy when it comes to China. As the new engine of the world it creates, copies, manufactures, delivers and sells goods and services on a vast scale. China is a most important piece in the global financial cogs that keep the money flowing – mostly inwards to China.

It is building a vast naval fleet and has eyes on America on how to extend power via aircraft carriers. The South China Sea could be a major flashpoint as the USA patrols the area with its ships and submarines. But, there is a lot more.

Apart from ‘exporting’ Covid-19, China is way ahead on technology. Just look at how sad the UK plc is at having to buy its communication technology from Chinese companies. Only this week, China launched the final satellite that gives it its own version of world maps, geo-location and a whole lot more. Reliant on no-one eh?

Did you know that China manufactures 100 per cent of the diabetic medication for the whole of the USA? Some 800,000 Americans wake up each day and consume meds made in China.

It is estimated that the US only has an eight-week supply at any one time. And let’s not mention that the Apple device you may be using is also “assembled in China”. So as you can see, China has many fingers in many global pies. Perhaps too many for some.

It may have a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons, but who really wants to use these things now when there are so many other ways to wage war in this technological age? And Australia is feeling the sharp edge of that right now. The Australian Prime Minister has accused China of a recent sustained cyber attack. Australia most definitely blames China for Covid-19 and wants transparency and answers on what went wrong.

China, in response to such rhetoric, apparently turns on the bad tech or “death ray” that can cripple whole countries. How very James Bond villain-like. But nevertheless, unnerving and dangerous. Yes for me, China presents some issues that could cause global damage as it asserts it power and ambition.

But there is one state that ain’t having any of it. There is one man that is standing up to China. And that is President Donald Trump. “Four more years!”

Well, to be fair to Mr Trump, it is not just him alone that is taking aim at China. America feels threatened, a bit like it did after 9/11. Its cities were locked down and it looked fragile. And this is not how the USA