There is an alliance of autocracies in the making and China wants to lead it. These despotic nations are seeking to band together in the face of the new American leadership under President Joe Biden, one that seeks to bring “free countries” together to achieve common cause. It is an interesting development that foretells perhaps a re-ordering of the post-Trump world. This article is from The New York Times by Steven Lee Myers. Here is an excerpt.

President Biden wants to forge an “alliance of democracies.” China wants to make clear that it has alliances of its own.

Only days after a rancorous encounter with American officials in Alaska, China’s foreign minister joined his Russian counterpart last week to denounce Western meddling and sanctions.

He then headed to the Middle East to visit traditional American allies, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as Iran, where he signed a sweeping investment agreement on Saturday. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, reached out to Colombia one day and pledged support for North Korea on another.

Read the full article here.