The Year-in-Review article titled “The West is de-risking from China,” published by The Epoch Times, primarily focuses on the de-risking by Western nations to reduce their dependence on China; the Chinese communist regime’s diplomacy in 2023, and the support of free democracies in containing the CCP’s violations and human rights abuses. The concept of de-risking came into play when several Western countries adopted measures to reduce their economic reliance on and ties with communist China.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang reportedly criticized the de-risking of Western countries by suggesting that it was a “false proposition.” Regardless, the dear-risking trend has become a consistent approach in democratic countries.
A significant reason for the de-risking by Western nations is in response to economic coercion by the CCP, such as in the instances of countries supporting Taiwan’s sovereignty, opposing human rights abuses by the CCP, and cooperating with the U.S. in security arrangements.
Moreover, with regards to human rights abuses, the U.S. and the EU have openly condemned the CCP’s violations, including the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
The CCP played an integral role in the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war, further alienating the world order and Western democracies. The CCP was also the first country to officially establish diplomatic relations with the Taliban.
The joint military exercises and cooperation between the U.S., the Philippines, and Vietnam aim to prevent the CCP’s potential threats in the South China Sea. The analyst envisioned a constant consolidation in the containment of the CCP by the free world in the days to come.