Josh Rogin: China Is Taking Advantage of World Focusing on Ukraine

On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “New Day,” author, Washington Post columnist, and CNN political analyst Josh Rogin said that while the world is focused on Russia, China “is using that distraction” to advance their goals, and “Xi Jinping wants the world to not pay attention to what he’s doing and our job is to pay attention. Because what he’s doing is he’s rearranging the chessboard in Asia to China’s advantage, not ours.”

Rogin said, “[T]he entire world is understandably distracted by Putin’s horrific war in Ukraine. And Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin’s close ally, is using that distraction to advance his strategy apace. We see that with Taiwan. We see that in the South Pacific. We see that all over the world, where Putin wants the world’s attention, but Xi Jinping wants the world to not pay attention to what he’s doing and our job is to pay attention. Because what he’s doing is he’s rearranging the chessboard in Asia to China’s advantage, not ours.”

He added, “China has global ambitions, and they’re trying to advance in many, many places. And we’ve got to confront them in many, many places. And we can have all of these alliances and pivots to Asia. But if China keeps scooping up influence in all of these places close to us, then what’s it all for?”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett