A change of direction is taking place and now becomes visible. OR China He has hosted one of the largest gatherings of Heads of State and Government in recent years in early September. More than twenty leaders, including Vladimir Putin of Russia, Kim Jong Un of North Korea, Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus and Massoud Pezkian of Iran, responded to his invitation to his invitation Si Jing for the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (OSS) in Tianzin. A huge military parade followed on Wednesday (03.09.2025) in Beijing for the anniversary of the end of World War II.
According to The Economist’s analysis, this shows a deeper trend: China of Si Jinping now appears as a stability pole against an America that is considered unstable and aggressive under Donald Trump’s presidency.
A front against sanctions and dollar
Xi Jinping reiterates that the source of world uncertainty is not Beijing, but Washington. The extensive use of extra -US sanctions from the US, which can exclude entire countries from the dollar and technological platforms, is worried much more than the usual “paria”. Russia and China are already accelerating their detachment from the dollar, while others are considering alternatives, such as the “global euro”.
In this environment, China appears capable of offering, if not a complete alternative system, at least one strong counterweight. Its commercial weight is a powerful weapon: it is already the first partner of most countries to attend the meeting, but also more than a hundred states worldwide.
Weapons, but also divisions
The parade on Tiananmen Square highlighted China’s military power – rockets, drones, space technologies. However, The Economist notes that military cooperation remains limited. India, for example, abstained, influenced by border tensions with Beijing. Even among the authoritarian regimes that gave the “present”, the view of the new Chinese rockets raised more concern than excitement.
However, convergence is reinforced: Moscow offers Beijing sensitive technologies in exchange for support in Ukraine, while North Korea works with Russia in satellite and space systems.
A global system in China’s measures?
Where Si Jinping finds it difficult to persuade is in the field of world governance. Beijing speaks of “justice” and “multiples”, but in practice proposes a system where the major regional forces – with China first – will have enlarged zones of influence. As The Economist points out, few Asian countries really want to live under a regime controlled by Beijing.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is far from a NATO type alliance. The differences are deep and the unity is mainly limited to opposition to Trump’s America.
A symbolic demonstration of power
The analysis concludes that Xi Jinping has not yet created a “new world order”, but has already noted a symbolic victory: it has proven that China can concentrate on a mosaic alliance of regimes with often conflicting interests. Five years earlier, such an image would seem unthinkable.
The contrast is intense: While Trump weakens his alliances and multiplies trade conflicts, Si uses these cracks to attract an ever -increasing number of states that see the United States skeptical.