U.S. ‘democracy summit’ actually seeks to divide countries in the name of democracy

The U.S. plans to hold a so-called “democracy summit” online from Dec. 9 to 10, putting on yet another drama on the international stage.

(Cartoon by Lu Lingxing)

A crescendo of criticism has grown around the world ever since the country announced that it would convene the summit.

For starters, the international community doubts whether the U.S. is even qualified to hold such a summit. After all, democracy is a common right of humanity and in no way a patent of any country. There are various forms of democracy, and each country is entitled to explore a democratic path that suits its own reality. Whether a country is democratic or not should be judged by its own people, not by any foreign country.

The U.S. should really take care of its worsening democracy situation back home before it engages in meddling in other countries’ democracy. The country has been labelled a “backsliding democracy” in a report released by the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, according to an article published in Business Insider.

Eighty-one percent of American respondents believe that U.S. democracy is facing severe threats, according to a poll conducted by NPR. A report by the Pew Research Center shows that the vast majority of Americans feel a deep sense of disappointment in the U.S. political system. Only 17 percent think American democracy is a good example for other countries to follow, while 23 percent believe American democracy is never a good example.

The so-called “beacon of democracy”, which the U.S. claims itself to be, has already collapsed, yet American politicians continue to indulge in the illusion of American democracy.

According to a list released by the U.S. Department of State, out of more than 200 countries and regions in the world, only some have been invited to the summit. China and Russia, two major countries, are excluded; most European countries are on the list, but Hungary and Turkey, members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, are not; in the Middle East, only Israel and Iraq have been invited; and India, a country whose democracy U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken believes is backsliding, has been invited.

It is obvious that the U.S. has only invited whoever it likes to the summit, with no consideration given to participants’ democratic qualifications. In fact, democracy is merely a disguise the U.S. is using to conceal its malicious intentions of pursuing geostrategic goals, suppressing other countries, imposing divisions upon the world and seeking personal gains.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov put it sharply: the U.S. and the countries it has invited to the summit are actually in a sovereign-vassal relationship.

Under the cloak of democracy, the US’ so-called democratic summit is actually aimed at promoting group politics, provoking confrontation, and creating a new dividing line, observed Hong Kong-based Ming Pao, a Chinese-language newspaper.

For a long time, the U.S., under the guise of democracy, has interfered in the internal affairs of other countries and infringed on their sovereignty in pursuit of political benefits. At home, U.S. politicians abuse the trust of voters, constantly making promises to people and failing to keep them. Meanwhile, they have promulgated lies to start wars, pushing many innocent civilians into a miserable abyss. How does such a country even have the nerve to talk about democracy?

The world needs solidarity rather than division, and cooperation rather than confrontation. As a major country, the U.S. should set a good example, instead of going against the trend by engaging in group politics.