Guide
The world is rapidly developing towards multipolarity, but the existing hegemonic countries are unwilling to give up their vested interests, and some other countries are suspicious of the unknown multipolar world and lack consensus on the basic values of the global order. China has always been committed to building an equal multipolar system with the United Nations at its core, and a universally inclusive economic globalization world. The confrontational narrative of "democracy versus autocracy" in the West cannot solve the current global challenges, and the international community needs to work together to build a new system of true multilateralism.
Zhao Hai is director of the International Politics Research Department of the National Global Strategy Think Tank, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
At present, most scholars of international affairs agree that the world pattern is developing in the direction of multipolarity. After the end of the Cold War, the world entered a "unipolar moment". Some Western countries see this as heralding the "end of history" and dream of an "era of peace under the United States" that will ensure world peace and prosperity with unprecedented money and power.
Unipolarity has ushered the world into a period of "hyper-globalization", promoted general global economic growth, and fueled the rise of the Global South. But the problem is that the hegemonic state is arrogant and has lost self-control. They believe that their path is the only viable one, which is a common problem of hegemonic countries. As a result, their delusions have led to reckless wars and internal divisions, ultimately weakening the rules-based international order. The logic behind this is simple: if the rules of the game don't apply to the main players, then who else wants to play this game?
Norwegian scholar Glenn Diessen, in his book The War in Ukraine and the Eurasian World Order, points out that the world today is likely to be experiencing an "empty period". "500 years of Western hegemony have come to an end, and most people across the globe are increasingly eager to build a world order based on multipolarity and equal sovereignty," he writes in the book. "However, despite the fatal flaws of liberal hegemony, the multipolar Westphalian system has not yet been established. Just as the dollar hegemony is known, the dollar serves the interests of the United States and is a tool for the United States to exploit and arbitrarily sanction other countries. But there seems to be no viable alternative to the US dollar to better play the role of standard, medium and reserve currencies.
Image source: Reuters
In fact, there are three aspects to the problem: first, the hegemonic countries refuse to give up their vested interests; second, stakeholders are afraid of confusion and fear of the unproven viability of the new system; Third, in the process of reconstructing the international order, there is a lack of consensus on the principle of fair sharing. In conclusion, the world is in an awkward position, and although it is inevitable to move towards multipolarity, no one is sure how the future will develop, since their visions and interests are different, even opposed, to each other.
Just as uneven globalization has created "winners" and "losers" in economic development, plunging many countries into political polarization, the trend towards multipolarization has significantly increased the anxiety of some people.
With the weaponization of finance and trade and the bordering of physical and cyberspace, many scholars have come to believe that the multipolar world of the future will be a dangerous "war zone" that is both unpredictable and volatile, and that great power politics and its iconic "law of the jungle" will make a comeback. Countries have had to form security alliances for protection, economic blocs for supply chain security, and like-minded organizations for political and institutional stability. The decades-old model of global governance will crumble as the international system fragments, destroying the ability of human societies to respond to common challenges.
What's more, if the multipolar world slides into an out-of-control "fierce competition", then the plot of artificial intelligence-induced "nuclear apocalypse" in science fiction movies may become a reality.
Image source: China Daily
Every day, the headlines are full of negative news, but the reality is not entirely pessimistic and hopeless. Since the existing order is weak to meet the current challenges, what kind of new order should the world build? During the National People's Congress and the National People's Congress this year, Foreign Minister Wang Yi expounded China's principled position and called for "an equal and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization" when answering questions from Chinese and foreign journalists on issues related to China's foreign policy and foreign relations. He further explained: "The multipolarization of equality is to embody the equality of rights, opportunities and rules of all countries. Orderly multipolarization means that we should jointly abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and uphold the basic norms governing international relations that are universally recognized. "China and other countries in the Global South want to improve the international system with the United Nations at its core, and firmly oppose any attempt to weaken or circumvent this system.
China's position is based on the fact that the United Nations stands for true multilateralism, bringing together multiple countries and abiding by universally recognized rules. The multilateral governance system with the United Nations at its core is built on the hard-won victory of the anti-fascist war and the tragic experience of two world wars, but it has long been trampled on and undermined by bipolar and unipolar power struggles and monopoly forces. The need for true multilateralism has never been more urgent, and its prospects have never been more promising.
What the world needs today is not a dualistic confrontational narrative of "democracy versus autocracy" in the West, but effective multilateralism to manage and resolve current and potential multipolar frictions and problems. From this perspective, the international community needs like-minded countries to unite and work together to improve the multilateral institutions and institutions under the United Nations system. China stands at the forefront of the new path of world multipolarization, and has put forward the Global Security Initiative, the Global Development Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, playing the role of mediator in international disputes. Only when more countries participate in building a new system of multilateralism can the world get out of the current "empty period" dilemma more quickly.
Image source: China Daily
Producer: China Daily, China Watch Think Tank
Editor-in-charge: Song Ping Xin Xin
Editor: Zhang Zhao
Interns Zhu Shiqi and Qin Jiale also contributed
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