China seeks diplomatic openings in face of US trade pressure

China sought to position itself as a defender of the global trading order and a stable partner for capitals reeling from chaotic US policy.

China’s foreign minister told counterparts at a Rio de Janeiro meeting of the BRICS bloc that Beijing standing up to the US in the face of trade pressure was in “the common interest of all countries,” while a foreign ministry spokesman today said Beijing’s EU ties offered “precious stability and certainty.”

The propaganda push has broader goals than simply winning a tariff standoff with Washington: “This is not just about China-US,” a Shanghai-based expert told Bloomberg. “It is really about the international trade and economic system.”