The Credibility of the Lessons China Gives to the World on Bullying is Being Questioned

China's recent publication of a white paper defending global rules and international justice has become a major topic of debate within the international community. Through this official document, the Pekin administration attempts to highlight its peaceful face by speaking to countries around the world about the importance of a fair international order. However, Western analysts and neighboring countries approach China's rhetoric with skepticism, emphasizing that focus should be placed on countries' actions. This situation is considered a classic example in international relations of the discrepancy between a state's words and its actual policies. Indeed, when China's ideological propaganda is compared with real-world events, it faces a serious credibility crisis.

The biggest point of criticism regarding the aforementioned white paper is China's increasingly aggressive actions in the Güney Çin Denizi. For years, China has been increasing its military presence in these strategic waters, ignoring the sovereign rights of neighboring countries. Its construction of artificial islands on islands and reefs, and its harassment of countries in the region, constitute a clear violation of international laws. Advocating for global peace and rules on the one hand, while resorting to such provocative military maneuvers on the other, raises profound doubts about Pekin's sincerity. Therefore, unilateral impositions in the Güney Çin Denizi stand out as one of the most concrete obstacles that render China's peace rhetoric meaningless.

This critical approach, featured in the Japonya-based publication JAPAN Forward, clearly reveals how regional powers view China's policies. Japonya and other Asia-Pacific countries see it as a disturbing double standard that, despite constantly keeping the concept of global coercion on the agenda, China does not abandon its own oppressive policies. The publication emphasized that China must review its own behavior before preaching to the world. The international community expects major powers to ensure consistency between their actions and rhetoric. Such news helps us understand not only regional tensions but also how global diplomatic balances are shaped.

The purpose of publishing the white paper is likely for Pekin to recover its international image and alter current threat perceptions. China is trying to develop an ideological defense mechanism to legitimize its geopolitical goals without succumbing to pressure from the outside world. However, this strategy is not yielding the desired results due to accelerating armament in recent years and severe diplomatic crises with Western countries, particularly the ABD. For a country aspiring to be a global leader, being perceived as invasive or oppressive holds the potential to hinder the achievement of its long-term economic and diplomatic goals. For this reason, it is highly unlikely that these ideological arguments defended by Pekin, without full compliance with international law, will be accepted by the masses.

In summary, while China's recently published white paper claims to oppose global bullying and oppression, it appears quite disconnected from the reality of international relations. The Asian giant's advocacy of a rhetoric that contradicts its own actions leads to constant questioning by world public opinion. This situation proves once again how vital it is to focus not only on official statements of states but also on their concrete steps on the ground. In the coming period, it remains to be seen whether China will go beyond the rhetorical level and make radical changes in its actual policies to gain the trust of the international community. The eyes of the world are turned on these contradictory policies and China's next diplomatic move.