Even so, other analysts believe the compelling need to counter Beijing will help Western countries bridge their differences.

"The increasing level of global anxiety about China is the tide that lifts all boats here," said Greg Poling of Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"I'm pretty confident that there's going to be a rough few months ahead, but Paris is going to get over it because its strategic interests dictate that it has to get over it."

Like, WTF?

What happened three weeks ago?

The Americans lost the war in Afghanistan.

Why did they lose the war in Afghanistan?

They lost the war in Afghanistan because they lost the hearts and minds, just the same thing the US did in losing Vietnam.

So what happened here?

The Americans stabbed the French in the back.

But according to this American analyst, the French are still on their side, when it comes to confronting China, that is fully expected, no doubt about it.

Kind of surprising, but let's go along with it.

Technically speaking, the French were stabbed in the back.

Guess he has a point.

Since the French were NOT stabbed in the heart, nor were they stabbed in the mind, the hearts and mind thingy does not apply.

Since the French only got stabbed in the back, they remain on their side.

The end of the Afghanistan War was only three weeks ago, where every province fell and they run away in the middle of the night!

How did that happen? Chairman Mao certainly would know.

Afghanistan was only three weeks ago!