Danish Tibet Commission is symptomatic of a broader pattern

Over the past couple of decades, Danish-Chinese relations have grown markedly closer, stronger and more diversified, especially since the two countries agreed to build a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2008. Meanwhile, Danish governments of different political hues have kept an increasingly low profile on sensitive issues like Tibet and human rights that are likely to upset their Chinese partners.

A similar pattern is observable in most Western European countries as China has risen to become a vital economic partner to Europe. As such, a leaderless West seems more and more unlikely to stand up to China, even when it comes to liberal-democratic core values.

In a commentary in The Diplomat, Andreas Bøje Forsby paints the broader picture of relations between China and the West at a critical juncture in history when the United States is no longer the obvious standard-bearer of liberal democracy.