As much of the world continues to reel from the coronavirus pandemic, China is flexing its muscles in Hong Kong, the South China Sea and along its border with India, all the while ramping up aggressive rhetoric towards Taiwan and the United States.
Beijing may have seen its global standing take a hit due to the coronavirus -- and a widespread perception that China mismanaged the initial handling of it -- but as the country increasingly gets back to normal, it's also finding itself in a rarefied position of strength compared to the continued disruption seen in much of the world. This is providing an opportunity to pursue a long sought after goal -- national rejuvenation, seizing what is seen as China's rightful position as a global superpower.
