When this week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked nations of the world to choose a side ~ between America, which according to him represents freedom and China that represents tyranny ~ he might have been thought to be making a major policy statement that would define international relations for the foreseeable future.

Except for one fact. The choice was offered at a time when the administration of which Mr Pompeo is part is on its last lap and when President Donald Trump faces an uphill battle for reelection. It is likely that nations around the world – except for steadfast American allies that always act on cues from Washington and possibly those like India that face a direct Chinese threat – will wait until after the Presidential election to decide whether they are required or prepared to support one country to the exclusion of the other.

Just as he had made the issue of illegal immigrants from Mexico the theme of his first election campaign, Mr Trump has picked on the Chinese threat as the focal point this time around. He hopes to benefit from the fact that Americans, generally, view China with disfavour.

A poll conducted in May had shown that 69 per cent Americans viewed the Chinese government as either “somewhat” or “very responsible” for the spread of the coronavirus; 51 per cent supported the Chinese government paying compensation to countries affected by the pandemic; 67 per cent viewed China as either a competitor or enemy in the light of the outbreak; 43 per cent had a more unfavourable opinion about the Chinese government as a result of Covid-19; and a whopping 71 per cent believed that China should be “penalised” for the pandemic.

A Pew Survey found in April that roughly two-thirds of Americans had a negative view about China. It is this xenophobia that Mr Trump hopes to harness in his re-election bid. And it is in this light that the American government’s decision to order the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston must be viewed. For it is only the latest in a series of steps taken by Washington to target China.

Just as ineffectually, China has now retaliated by ordering the closure of the American consulate in Chengdu. It is one thing to woo domestic audiences with tales of a battle between freedom and tyranny, quite another to enlist cynical world leaders based on such a choice. Most countries around the world ~ including America’s democratic allies in the West and the Asean nations ~ continue to consort with China and most continue to hedge their bets.

India, for instance, took 11 years to join the Quad and dithered on the question of inviting Japan and Australia to the Malabar war games for fear of displeasing China. Today, thanks to the incursions in Ladakh, India’s hand may have been forced. But others will continue to opportunistically straddle the fence.