What kind of empire is China building?

As Britain’s small fleet, headed by HMS Queen Elizabeth, cruises towards the South China Sea, there remains a question over the nature of China’s geopolitical ambitions.

When Xi Jinping came to power in 2013 it was assumed that China would follow the relatively unthreatening path begun by Deng Xiaoping. But Xi was intent on following a different agenda.

Xi’s brutal clampdown on corruption showed that there was a new sheriff in town. High profile politburo members were imprisoned. Such was the scale that Qincheng Prison began to run out of cells. Expensive wristwatches suddenly disappeared from the arms of modestly paid bureaucrats. The West applauded.

Xi’s reform of China’s state owned enterprises was further positive news; so too the Belt and Road Initiative which was seen as a positive contribution to global economic growth. A benign looking Xi supped Greene King IPA with David Cameron at his local pub. Seemingly the message was ‘what’s good for China is good for the world’.