僵持持续得越久，习近平费尽心机打造的强力领导人的形象就越有可能遭到破坏，中国的亚洲霸主形象也是如此，这将损害中共政权在国内的支持度，严重削弱中国对邻国的影响力。
The longer the standoff lasts, the more likely it is to sully Xi’s carefully cultivated image as a powerful leader, and that of China as Asia’s hegemon, which would undermine popular support for the regime at home and severely weaken China’s influence over its neighbors.