China enters riskier space by positioning itself as diplomatic alternative to US
by Patrick Wintour Diplomatic Editor from World news | The Guardian on (#6AJV7)
Recent meetings in Beijing mark a return to the world stage but with that comes increased scrutiny
Beijing this week displaced New York and the UN as the diplomatic capital of the world, hosting two meetings that have the potential to unblock two of the deepest conflicts plaguing the globe - the nine-year-old conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and the 30-year standoff between Riyadh and Tehran.
For Beijing, often described as neuralgic towards interventionist foreign policy, it marks a step into the biggest of diplomatic leagues, and a sign of the country's return to the global stage post-Covid.
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