China positioned itself as a predictable economic partner at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, with Vice Premier He Lifeng warning that the world should not "slide back into the law of the jungle, where the strong bully the weak"—a message aimed squarely at European capitals as Washington pursues aggressive tariff threats and territorial expansion rhetoric.
The pitch marks a notable shift in Beijing's international messaging. After years of "Wolf Warrior" diplomacy characterized by combative rhetoric and economic coercion, China's top economic officials are now emphasizing stability, multilateralism, and respect for international norms—precisely as the United States under President Donald Trump abandons those same principles.
"China remains committed to opening up, to cooperation, and to mutual benefit," Vice Premier He told assembled business leaders and policymakers on Tuesday. "In an era of uncertainty, the world needs partners who honor their commitments and respect the rules-based order."
The irony was not lost on the Davos audience. China—criticized for decades by Western governments for unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft, and economic coercion—was now positioning itself as the defender of international economic stability while America threatened 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, considered seizing Greenland, and suggested 300% tariffs on semiconductor imports.
Beijing's strategy is transparent: exploit the transactional nature of the new American administration to drive wedges between Washington and its traditional allies, particularly in Europe. The "law of the jungle" reference directly invokes European anxieties about American unpredictability under Trump, who has publicly questioned NATO's value and threatened tariffs against European goods.
"He Lifeng's message is aimed at Brussels, Berlin, and Paris, not Washington," said Yuka Koshino, senior fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs. "China is telling Europe: we may have our disagreements, but at least we're predictable. Can you say the same about America?"
The pitch comes as European capitals face mounting pressure to choose sides in the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry. The European Parliament suspended U.S. trade deal negotiations this week in response to Trump's Greenland threats, while several European leaders have publicly criticized American unilateralism.
China's emphasis on "reliability" conveniently omits recent history. Beijing imposed punitive trade restrictions on Australia in 2020 after Canberra called for an independent investigation into COVID-19's origins. China banned seafood imports from Taiwan last year over political disputes. And Beijing continues to use trade access as leverage in territorial disputes in the South China Sea and regarding Taiwan's status.
Yet China's messaging discipline at Davos was notable. Officials avoided inflammatory rhetoric, emphasized cooperation rather than confrontation, and conspicuously refrained from direct criticism of Washington. The approach represents a deliberate contrast with Trump's confrontational style and his administration's open threats against allies.
"When your opponent is making mistakes, don't interrupt," said Zhu Feng, dean of the School of International Relations at Nanjing University. "America is alienating its allies with threats and ultimatums. China simply needs to appear reasonable by comparison."
The strategy is already showing results. Germany is reportedly reconsidering restrictions on Huawei 5G equipment, with some officials arguing that American technology companies now pose equal security risks given Washington's unpredictability. France has accelerated talks on a bilateral investment agreement with China. And several European nations are quietly exploring alternatives to dollar-based trade settlement systems.
Beijing's Davos message also contained veiled warnings. Vice Premier He emphasized that "decoupling and supply chain disruptions hurt all economies," a reminder that China remains the world's largest manufacturing hub and Europe's third-largest trade partner. The implication: aligning too closely with Washington's confrontational approach will be economically costly.
For Japan and South Korea, Beijing's reliability pitch poses a strategic dilemma. Both nations face direct security threats that require American military support, making true neutrality between Washington and Beijing impossible. Yet both also depend heavily on Chinese markets and supply chains, creating economic vulnerabilities that Beijing can exploit.
"Tokyo and Seoul will make supportive statements about partnership with Washington, then quietly continue economic engagement with Beijing," predicted Lee Sang-hyun, research fellow at the Sejong Institute in South Korea. "The divergence between security and economic interests is becoming untenable."
The real test of China's "reliability" messaging will come in bilateral negotiations. European companies continue to face market access restrictions, forced technology transfers, and arbitrary regulatory actions in China. If Beijing genuinely wants to position itself as a predictable partner, it will need to address these longstanding grievances with concrete policy changes, not just rhetorical shifts.
For now, however, China is content to contrast its messaging discipline with American chaos. As one European trade official told Politico: "Three years ago, we were united in concern about China's trade practices. Now we're equally concerned about America's. That's quite an achievement for Beijing."
Watch what they do, not what they say. In East Asian diplomacy, the subtext is the text. China isn't suddenly embracing international norms—it's exploiting American abandonment of those norms to reposition itself as the defender of the very system it spent decades challenging.
