𝗔𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

For a country that has dominated this sport for decades, it is certainly surprising.

Although, as an Italian passionate about football, I have unfortunately experienced something similar in recent years.

What caught my attention, however, was another aspect of this story.

For years, Chinese coaches and players have contributed to improving training standards outside China, including in Europe.

Last September, two Chinese Olympic champions participated in a European training programme in Luxembourg.

And here in France, we have the Lebrun brothers, who have become serious international competitors while enjoying enormous popularity in China, where they are affectionately known as the "glasses brothers".

China has contributed to the international development of a sport it has historically dominated.

Today, competition is becoming stronger, including for Chinese athletes themselves.

But this does not necessarily mean that China's international influence is declining.

It may simply mean that influence and competitive dominance are not the same thing.

I see something similar happening in international business.

The circulation of expertise, technologies and production capabilities creates opportunities for everyone involved.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲.