A very interesting article, Adu!

Another issue of growing concern should be the widespread acceptance of real as well as expected economic development in autocratic regimes such as China and Russia. No longer does the USA or the EU seriously question the legitimacy of these countries as acceptable international partners, if they have proven their economic strength. Once proven, human rights rarely gets a look-in. Indeed, it has been suggested in some political think-tanks that China and Russia are in fact playing this trump card very effectively to their advantage at the moment, and could even set the new international ground rules for running the global economy in the 21st Century (see Sirp "Diplomaatia" May issue for further details).