As Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met on November 15th, tension loomed over the entire exchange. The two men had, for the past few months, been engaged in diplomatic conflict over a myriad of issues. 

The primary issue plaguing relations between the superpowers was that of Taiwan, a nation that asserts independence both through the government and through the people. Yet, China still claims it as their own. The superpower has recently been making crackdowns on products and industries that they see as problematic, including putting massive restrictions on video games for people under 18 and essentially banning private education. 

Now, after eliminating pesky capitalist influence within his own country, Xi Jinping has set his sights on outside issues that have troubled China for too long. Atop that list is Taiwan, a nation that has and time again refused to surrender itself to Xi’s control. In October, the Chinese president boldly declared that China would reunify with Taiwan, which was met with much criticism from the Taiwanese government. Joe Biden then announced that the U.S would defend Taiwan if China were to use force to take back the island nation.

From the extreme crackdowns on “capitalism” and “sissy men” to the extreme aggression towards Taiwan and the U.S, China’s recent activity has not had them in favor of nations worldwide. It seems that recently, something has shifted within the government in Beijing, a change in China’s foreign policy, from the typical passive-aggressiveness to outright rage towards any and all who dare to slight the CCP, a world power with the mental fortitude of a toddler. 

And as it turns out, even the ultra-rich aren’t safe from the CCP’s temper tantrums. When Jack Ma, the richest man in China and a co-founder of tech giant Alibaba, criticized Chinas severe limits on innovation and the “pawnshop mentality” of the countries banks in January, he was summoned to court, affiliate company Ant Group was fined for billions of dollars, and Ma “disappeared” for most of 2021, up until October. 

China seems to be on a vicious streak as of late, showing no mercy to anyone for anything. As to why, who knows? It looks as though Xi Jinping is becoming more and more infatuated with the idea of communism that has supported the CCP for so long, even being so bold as to declare that any who threaten China will be “bloodied against a great wall of steel,” and proclaiming that the rise of China and communism was “inevitable.” Ever since that speech, and since the start of China’s extreme aggression towards everyone and everything, the country’s relations with outside nations have only gotten worse. From warning Joe Biden that he is “playing with fire,” to flying fighter jets in Taiwanese airspace, Xi Jinping is out to prove that he means business and isn’t afraid to use force to get it. It’s becoming worrying how close to conflict China is getting, as Xi is acting so belligerent towards foreign nations that it almost seems as though he wants violence. 

The actions of the CCP are unpredictable, left to the whims of an immature leader who can’t control his anger towards even the most infinitesimal rebuff of his old-school, prejudiced policies. All the world can hope is that Xi Jinping control’s himself enough to not start a violent conflict.