In 1996, the bestseller China Can Say Noco-written by a group of scholars, it expressed a rejection of Western worship and the rise of Chinese nationalism.
Thirty years later, China is not just saying “no” to the West, it has the strategic ability to push back, based on its dominance in global supply chains, rare minerals and key green technologies. China’s faith is perhaps most evident in its opposition and strong actions against Western claims and sanctions.
As the United States targeted Chinese tech giants like Huawei and TikTok and imposed export controls on advanced semiconductors, Beijing’s push was largely ironic. This has changed significantly.
Following the Trump administration’s announcement of tariff increases last April, China imposed a comprehensive tit-for-tat tax on the United States. China has shown that it is ready to assert foreign sovereignty, after introducing restrictions on the export of rare minerals for military use.
The West has certainly felt the effects of China’s rise. In the words of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, “For years the narrative went on that China was the coming power. Now it has arrived.” During this year World Economic Forum in Davos, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz admitted that China has used a “strategic approach” to make its way into the ranks of the “great powers”.
This realization has been accompanied by changes in the West’s cooperation with China. In recent months, there has been a parade of Western leaders visiting Beijing, expressing concern about the lack of opportunities within the world’s second-largest economy.
