China’s state-run media has seized on the chaos surrounding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, trumpeting it as a signal of the beginning of the end of American power and Washington’s commitment to a string of alliances and partnerships spanning the globe — including Taiwan.
The official Xinhua News Agency has lampooned “bomb-dropping-loving Uncle Sam” for its two-decade war in the country, while the hawkish Global Times newspaper said the withdrawal “has dealt a heavy blow to the credibility and reliability of the U.S.,” adding that self-ruled Taiwan should not expect Washington to come to its aid in the event of war.
But for those attempting to divine how the Afghan crisis will affect Chinese perceptions of the United States, experts are urging caution before connecting it to any larger narrative about declining American power, especially in Asia.