The time period “helpful fool” was first coined within the Chilly Struggle to explain unwitting supporters of the Soviet Union. Since then the phrase has morphed into different areas of on a regular basis life, however continues to be largely rooted within the fields of politics and worldwide confrontation.
China is studying all types of helpful stuff from the conflict in Ukraine about how far to push towards established worldwide norms; the way to inoculate one’s nation from a worldwide backlash towards unhealthy behaviour and the way to drive a wedge between one’s adversaries.
All this has come at nearly no price to Beijing because the Kremlin has copped many of the flak. So, as he casts a hungry eye at Taiwan, does Xi Jinping see Vladimir Putin as a really helpful fool certainly?
On this episode of Defence in Depth, Dominic Nicholls, The Telegraph’s affiliate editor, explains how, by invading Ukraine, Putin has proven his Chinese language counterpart the place the sides of Western tolerance for aggression lie.
Watch Dominic’s video evaluation above. Discover extra episodes of Defence in Depth on The Telegraph’s YouTube channel.