Can Xi save Islam?
Last week I posted a summary of China’s activities in the Middle East that concluded, “Thanks to our media’s triumphal narrative, we will never know how badly we are losing our war with China until it’s lost”.
Several MENA subscribers and two European analysts provided insightful analyses of their regions and encouraged me to look deeper into what one called ‘Xi’s Crusade to liberate Muslims from American and Jewish oppression’ and provided a wonderful image of how China’s President is seen there. An experienced journalist who writes in English and Arabic suggested I use a provocative title: Xi Jinping, Savior of Palestine, Defender of the Ummah. Look for it in 48 hours.
In the meantime I warmly recommend Charles Hugh Smith’s 2024, A Year of No Significance. He begins by quoting Ray Huang’s 1587, A Year of No Significance: The Ming Dynasty in Decline: “The year 1587 may seem to be insignificant; nevertheless, it is evident by that time, the limit for the Ming dynasty had already been reached. It no longer mattered whether the ruler was conscientious or irresponsible, whether his chief counselor was enterprising or conformist, whether the generals were resourceful or incompetent, whether the civil officials were honest or corrupt, or whether the leading thinkers were radicals or conservatives–in the end they all failed to reach fulfillment”.
