Editorial: El Mundo

• China is capitalizing on the geopolitical shift in the United States to enhance its international standing through economic strategies, selective diplomacy, and narrative building.
• The Chinese government is using influencers and showcasing technological advancements to project soft power and portray an image of efficiency and modernity.
• China seeks increasing militarization and harbors expansionist ambitions, stoking tension in Asia and aiming at Taiwan as an immediate target.
• The uncertainty caused by Donald Trump's foreign policy has allowed China to position itself as a defender of rule-based trade and present itself as an alternative to the US, even in countries with strained relations with the latter.
• China projects itself as a pragmatic actor by avoiding direct coercion on the international scene and by managing its exposure in sensitive conflicts.

Conclusion: The weakness of the United States and its inconsistent foreign policy do not justify an alliance with China, an autocratic regime and a threat to western and democratic values.

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