The world is Xi’s oyster

XI JINPING, China’s president, has lately had little choice other than to ponder foreign policy. Last month his country played host to the leaders of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum; he then flew to Brisbane for a G20 summit, going on to visit other parts of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. In between, his prime minister, Li Keqiang, was in Myanmar for yet another summit, the 18-nation East Asian one. This welter of diplomacy seems to have inspired Mr Xi—the most powerful leader in a generation of a country more powerful than for centuries—to spell out his foreign-policy vision. He did so in a speech at the end of November apparently intended in part to reassure China’s neighbours that a strong and rising China need not be feared. It was a good attempt, but not entirely successful.