China is once again putting its own interests above the global good, hoarding massive stockpiles of food and fertilizer while the world struggles with a supply crisis exacerbated by Iranian aggression.
Former World Bank President David Malpass, who served under President Donald Trump, issued a blunt assessment of Beijing's behavior, noting that China holds the world's largest reserves of these critical resources.
As global markets scramble to secure fertilizer for spring planting—a task made significantly harder by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—China continues to restrict its own exports to protect its domestic supply.
This protectionist stance, which has been tightening since 2021, ignores the global impact of a nation that accounts for 25% of the world's fertilizer output.
Malpass also dismantled the tired narrative that China is a 'developing nation.' Despite being the world's second-largest economy, Beijing continues to hide behind this designation at the WTO and World Bank to secure unfair advantages.
While Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu attempted to deflect blame, the reality remains that China's refusal to act as a responsible stakeholder in the global economy is a choice. Malpass further emphasized that China has a vested interest in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, as their own shipping and trade dominance relies on free, secure waterways.
As ordinary Americans continue to face rising prices and inflation, the need for international accountability for bad actors like China has never been more urgent.
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