Most significantly, China for the first time explicitly inserted itself into European affairs by calling for an end to the expansion of NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – established after World War II to contain Russia and now the key alliance standing in the way of an invasion of Ukraine.

“This is a big shift in the Chinese foreign policy mainstream,” said Kevin Rudd, former Australian prime minister and now President of the Asia Society. “China now sees itself as a global, not just a regional, security actor.”

In exchange for its support against NATO, Russia joined China in condemning the AUKUS nuclear submarine alliance, warning it increases “the danger of an arms race in the region, and poses serious risks of nuclear proliferation”.

China has for the past century largely maintained an arms-length approach to international affairs that are not directly related to its security interests. It is aggressive on issues that it sees as its own such as the South China Sea, Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong but has avoided publicly inserting itself into disputes on other continents.

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That changed on Friday. Under the Olympic flame, China is now building its alliances for any future conflict and asserting itself as a diplomatic superpower.

The communique was delivered while the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the UN General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, were also in the Olympic stands, revealing China and Russia’s plans for recruiting members to a Sino-Russian order.

China and Russia want NATO sidelined, the Quad dismissed, and “small cliques” abolished on the global stage. They want to protect the “United Nations-driven international architecture to ensure peace and stability”.

The focus of that seemingly optimistic message is a dysfunctional UN where both nations use their veto powers to block resolutions or rally votes from the leaders of smaller nations who are reliant on them for economic aid.

A dozen leaders, including those from Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Serbia, will make their way from the Bird’s Nest to Xi’s office over the coming week.

Like the Olympics, the United Nations gives China and Russia the global veneer of international human rights respectability. Their goal now is to recruit as many nations as possible to this illusion.

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