'China Is Its Own Biggest Enemy': French Report Gives Panoramic View of Beijing's Push for Global Influence

Despite the Chinese regime's sweeping efforts to impose its own authoritarian model onto the free world, its biggest enemy is itself, according to a French government-affiliated think tank.

"China is its own biggest enemy when it comes to influence," the report reads.

While Beijing had enjoyed relatively a favorable public opinion in Sweden, the turning point began with the 2017 appointment of a new Chinese ambassador to the country, Gui Congyou, according to the report.

Gui's provocative rhetoric-threatening Swedish officials not to attend an award ceremony for a detained Chinese dissident, criticizing local media that reported critically on China, and pressuring a Stockholm hotel to cancel a Taiwanese National Day celebration-has been "Disastrous," the report said.

China's public rating has also plummeted, with 80 percent of Swedes now holding a negative view of China, compared to less than half of the country's population four years ago.

According to the report, in February, six Central and Eastern European states in the long-delayed "17+1" summit with China chose to send a lower-level representative, rather than their usual head of state, indicating a "Loss of appetite" in engagement with Beijing, likely having to do with the regime's tarnished image.

The "Counterproductive behavior" Beijing has adopted in recent years "Poses an unpopularity problem for China in such proportions that it could ultimately indirectly weaken the Party, including vis-à-vis its own population," the report reads.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/china-is-its-own-biggest-enemy-french-report-gives-panoramic-view-of-beijings-push-for-global-influence_4016323.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge