The crises, conflicts and wars that are currently raging highlight just how profoundly the geopolitical landscape has changed in recent years, as great-power rivalries have again become central to international relations.
With the wars in Gaza and Ukraine exacerbating global divisions, an even more profound geopolitical reconfiguration — including a shift to a new world order — may well be in the works.
These two wars heighten the risk of a third, over Taiwan. No one — least of all Chinese President Xi Jinping — can watch the United States transfer huge amounts of American artillery munitions, smart bombs, missiles and other weaponry to Ukraine and Israel without recognizing that American stockpiles are being depleted. For Xi, who has called Taiwan’s incorporation into the People’s Republic a “historic mission,” the longer these wars continue, the better.