Steve Tsang: Was Xi Jinping's Path Inevitable?

The Trump administration initially approached engagement with Chinese leader Xi Jinping under the assumption that China was a rising power amenable to pragmatic deals with the existing world order. However, the reality of Xi's China presents a different picture: a nearly totalitarian state with a clear and ambitious strategy to surpass the United States and fundamentally reshape the global order.

According to research by Olivia Cheung and the author, China under Xi is not merely seeking a bipolar world or aiming to inherit the burdens of American supremacy. Instead, its objective is to achieve global dominance on its own terms. This involves transforming the international system to align with China's political ideology, values, and national interests.

This global strategy, rooted in Xi Jinping's concept of "the Chinese dream" of national rejuvenation, is being meticulously executed under the guidance of the Chinese Communist Party. While China acknowledges the critical importance of its relationship with the United States, its overarching global ambitions are not centered on this bilateral dynamic.

The article questions whether Xi Jinping's path was inevitable, suggesting that the current trajectory is a deliberate and calculated move towards establishing a new world order dictated by Chinese principles. This strategic vision prioritizes China's unique political system and its own definition of national interest above all else.