The Global Governance Initiative: A China-Centric New World Order

If Xi’s predictions hold true, a requiem for the American empire is currently being composed

By Anil Madan

On Monday, September 1, 2025, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus meeting in Tianjin, China’s President Xi Jinping celebrated the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japanese aggression in World War II. He declared the victory, as well as the founding of the United Nations, “a milestone prompting us to remember the past and create a better future together.” From a western perspective, any commemoration of victory over Japan and Nazi Germany would be incomplete without a recognition of the role that the US and Britain, not to mention India, played. And, of course, the United Nations was decidedly not a Chinese idea.

Xi, Putin and Modi share a laugh at SCO Summit. Pic – CNN

President Xi’s reference to the critical, indeed indispensable, role that the Allied Forces played in winning the war, was cursory at best, almost incidental for he merely described WWII as the World Anti-Fascist War.

Nor was it clear why, 80 years later, the memory of victory in WWII should suddenly “prompt us to remember the past and create a better future together.” The reference to “us” was, of course, meant to include only the attendees at the SCO event, and certainly not the US. Indeed, the “us” at the conference included President Putin of Russia and Prime Minister Modi of India. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was formed in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Since then, it has expanded to nine with India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus joining. Several other countries have been granted observer status or are referred to as dialogue partners.

The connection of the SCO to victory in WWII and the formation of the UN is tenuous. President Xi overlooked the fact that the People’s Republic of China was not recognized as the “sole legal China” until 1971. Russia was part of the Soviet Union.

President Xi tempered the opening celebratory tone of his keynote speech with the lament that “the Cold War mentality, hegemonism and protectionism continue to haunt the world,” and “the world has found itself in a new period of turbulence and transformation. Global Governance has come a new crossroads.” This was a thinly veiled response to the US and its allies.

Xi announced a Global Governance Initiative (GGI). It is not clear what this entails, since he provided no details but offered a string of platitudes: “History tells us that at difficult times, we must uphold our original commitment to peaceful coexistence, strengthen our confidence in win-win cooperation, advance in line with the trend of history, and thrive in keeping pace with the times.” He declared his commitment to working with all countries for a more just and equitable global governance system and advancing toward a community with a shared future for humanity.

The following day, presiding over a massive and impressive military parade, President Xi declared that “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable.” Two prominent guests of honour were Putin and Kim Jong Un who reportedly broke away for a private conversation after the parade to discuss North Korea’s ongoing support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

In his address at the military parade, Xi called on all service members to speed up the building of a world class military.

These back-to-back events made two points clear. First, Xi was declaring a new world order led by an alliance that does not include the US or western countries: Europe, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or their allies Japan, the Philippines, and perhaps even Vietnam. To what extent Africa, the Middle East ex Israel, and Latin America ex Brazil, are within Xi’s embrace is unclear. Second, while the rhetoric focused on national sovereignty and security, this declaration revealed China’s intent to become the dominant military power by 2050. This goal, aimed at surpassing America’s offensive military edge, is presented with a degree of plausible deniability but represents a significant shift in global ambitions over the next three decades. There was an impressive display of offensive weapons, many shown for the first time.

Nicholas Burns who the US Ambassador to China during the Biden administration was interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR) a day after the parade and two days after the SCO speech. He said: “Xi Jinping and Putin are trying to rewrite the history of the Second World War, as Xi said two days ago that the main victors were China and the Soviet Union. Well, that’s news to the United States because we were the savior of China – the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt – during the Second World War. We were the air force of China against the Japanese troops, and we resupplied the Chinese military from India into Kunming in Yunnan Province in Western China. And that was a very dangerous operation for Americans. We suffered lots of losses. So, they’re doing this because they want to diminish the power of the United States today.”

Burns also noted that it was Franklin Delano Roosevelt who insisted that China be part of the postwar international order as a member of the UN Security Council. Then it was Nationalist China which, as noted, was succeeded by the PRC.

President Trump appeared to take note of the revisionist history. He posted on his social media platform: “The big question to be answered is whether or not President Xi of China will mention the massive amount of support and ‘blood’ that the United States of America gave to China in order to help it to secure its FREEDOM from a very unfriendly foreign invader.”

Trump added: “Many Americans died in China’s quest for Victory and Glory. I hope that they are rightfully Honored and Remembered for their Bravery and Sacrifice!”

“May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong-un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”

Whether or not the word “conspire” is appropriate here, it has been quite clear for some time that China, Russia, Iran, Brazil, and North Korea seek to reduce America’s influence in the world. President Trump’s dismantling of the funding and support administered by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has left a glaring hole in the “soft” power that helped American diplomacy around the world. Some supporters of Trump have carped that foreign recipients of US aid are not grateful. Be that as it may, countries receiving American aid and charitable gifts were much less likely to oppose the US when it came to votes in international organisations. Much of that support has been lost.

India Prime Minister Modi is still smarting from the huge tariffs that Trump announced against his country. These tariffs were imposed because India continued to buy Russian oil and that, according to Trump, helped finance Putin’s war on Ukraine. As well, the tariffs were intended to punish India for its membership in the BRICS group of countries. But such sanctions were not imposed on China which also buys Russian oil. Meanwhile European countries continued to purchase Russian natural gas despite sanctions on Russia. The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air reports that despite a range of sanctions and the threat posed by dependence on Russian energy, in the third year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, EU imports of Russian fossil fuels in particular remain largely unchanged, totaling €21.9 billion in the third year of the invasion surpassed the €18.7 billion of financial aid they sent to Ukraine in 2024. It should be noted that the EU intends to cut imports and end all by 2027. That remains to be seen.

The new alliance in formation may seem strange to western eyes. But ultimately, nations act in what they perceive to be their best interests. The interests of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are decidedly not aligned with America’s interests. India is a closer case. India has deep ties with the US, not the least in the technology sector where Indian software engineers provide critical knowledge-based skills to American companies. To some extent, India must remain wary of China’s encroachment on its borders and the reliability of Russian support for its fighter jets and other weapons systems. India has also sought to establish closer relations with the US in regard to the development and purchase of military hardware and fighter jets.

Over the course of history, most conflicts between nations are over petty, often unimportant causes, perceived slights and misplaced views about economic competition. One has only to look to Japan and Germany, now the staunchest of US allies and recall that once they were bitter enemies in the war, the end of which Xi was celebrating. Vietnam is a strong trading partner with the US. The Vietnam War left deep scars on that country, but the rapprochement between Vietnam and the US is now unmistakable. Given this, why should the prospect of China forming peaceful alliances with its neighbors be a surprise?

It is said that history is written by the victors. We have seen the rewriting of history by would-be victors. If the prognostications of Xi and his guests are true, the “history” of the future is being scripted before our eyes. And that history suggests that they are composing the opening strains of a requiem for the American empire.

What will the President of China celebrate 80 years hence?

Cheerz…
Bwana

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 5 September 2025