As the US retreats, can Xi’s new initiative shape the future world order?

As Washington continues to retreat from its traditional leadership role in the post-war international order, particularly under the “America first” doctrine, Beijing has stepped in with a calculated response to the widening vacuum in global governance, unveiling what observers call a “master plan” for reform.

China’s newly unveiled Global Governance Initiative (GGI), launched this month to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, represents its most comprehensive and structured effort to articulate a vision for reshaping the international system, according to experts.

In a carefully orchestrated move, the initiative was formally introduced by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on September 1, shortly before a high-profile military parade marking 80 years since Japan’s formal surrender in World War II.

While the five-point initiative builds on China’s long-standing multilateral rhetoric, its formal launch amid global instability – wars in Ukraine and Gaza, economic fragmentation, and waning trust in US leadership – appears designed to appeal to disillusioned nations, especially in the Global South.

Beijing’s emphasis on inclusive multilateralism, sovereign equality, and developmental autonomy free from ideological conditions stands in stark contrast to US President Donald Trump’s transactional diplomacy, unilateral tariff measures, and selective engagement, highlighting the divergent approaches the two superpowers take towards global leadership and cooperation.

Introduced amid growing doubts about the credibility of US-led multilateralism, observers said the initiative reflected China’s ambition to shape a multipolar world in which developing countries gain greater representation and rule-making power in global decision-making.