Beijing "goes first" with trade agreements in Asia and Europe aimed at preventing Biden from assembling a united front against China.

By 2020, the image of China globally has deteriorated due to the initial treatment of Covid-19 and the policy of "war diplomacy" (diplomats make tough, drastic, ready

A survey by the Pew Research Center in October found that in 14 developed countries, public aversion to China had reached its highest level in more than a decade.

However, China's post-pandemic economic recovery has given President Xi Jinping a great diplomatic opportunity.

Also in September last year, Mr. Xi expressed his wish to end seven years of negotiations on an investment agreement with Europe.

The breakthrough came after the US presidential election.

China clearly foresaw the threat.

Jake Sullivan, Biden's future national security advisor, tweeted suggesting that Europe should wait for consultations with the new US administration before making a decision.

With such "first hand" moves, Xi is showing that President-elect Biden will find it difficult to rally a united front with allies to fight China, said Steven Lee Myers, journalist for Biden.

Noah Barkin, China expert at Rhodium Group, calls the Sino-European investment agreement a "geopolitical victory for China".

China has only had to accept modest concessions in return for allaying growing fears about Beijing's policies such as Hong Kong security laws and the Xinjiang issue, analysts say.

They also pledged to "make continuous and sustained efforts" to ratify two international conventions on forced labor.

Some observers believe that China's move is tactical.

Myers commented that, once again, China proved that it paid little or nothing diplomatically, despite its actions inconsistent with European values.

Australia was in a similar situation in November when it signed the RCEP, even as Beijing is sending economic blow to Canberra.

China's great economic and diplomatic influence, especially at a time of global crisis, makes other countries feel they have no other choice, even though they disagree with Beijing's policies.

The moves by China will not end countries' anger over their policies.

That would make it difficult for Biden, who had to rebuild confidence in Europe after four years of Trump's "America first" policy had disappointed them, Myers wrote.

"Right now is a very good opportunity for us," said Wang Huiyao, president of the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing.

Xi does not admit that China's policies have undermined global trust.

"I think they take a selective approach to image improvement," commented Minxin Pei, a professor at Claremont McKenna College in California.

It will take many months for legal groups to finalize the document and translate the China-EU investment agreement.

"Chinese leaders are concerned about a transatlantic multinational front against them. They are ready to make tactical concessions to please Europe," Barkin said.