Chinese leader Xi Jinping is aggressively promoting his vision for reshaping the global order to counter American power. At a recent Beijing forum with Vladimir Putin, Xi touted China as the only country able to navigate 21st century challenges.
Xi's abstract rhetoric encapsulates China's bid to overhaul a system it sees as stacked against it. The US and allies watch warily as Beijing grows more assertive abroad and repressive at home.
Xi pushes an alternative model of "shared future" based on equality and consensus, not ideological divides or military blocs. He condemns "universal values" defined by the West. Beijing argues economic gains trump political rights.
The Ukraine war sharpened Xi's belief that US power is declining as its foreign policy stumbles. He launched new "global initiatives" on development, security, and civilization to promote China's worldview.
Xi draws support from strongmen leaders shunned by the West. But many nations remain wary of autocratic China dominating global rules. Calls persist for more say for the developing world.
It's unclear how many would embrace a China-centered order. But strained US relations prompt some to listen. Xi's global campaign raises the stakes of the rivalry with Washington.
Though China's military and economy still lag America's, Xi aims to undercut US credibility and interventionism. That could enable actions like taking Taiwan. His long-term ambitions remain unclear.