The China-Russia partnership is a highly consequential geopolitical alignment driven by a shared goal of countering U.S. hegemony and reshaping the international order into a multipolar system. While not a formal alliance, this relationship is strengthened by Russia's increasing economic reliance on China following Western sanctions, which allows Beijing to leverage its influence. Policymakers should note that while the partnership projects deep solidarity (as seen in high-level summits), it remains complex and limited by mutual mistrust and competing strategic interests. This enduring alignment poses a significant challenge to U.S. interests and requires continued diplomatic vigilance.
China sets out its vision for a new global order – but will it commit the resources to match its ambition?
English Summary
China's new white paper advocates for a multipolar, UN-centered global order that elevates the influence of the Global South. While Beijing successfully frames itself as an architect of governance reform—capitalizing on perceived American retrenchment—the core finding is a striking contradiction: high diplomatic ambition paired with minimal commitment of major financial resources. This suggests China's strategy is not to replace Western economic leadership, but rather to project normative power by reshaping international rules and standards. Consequently, policy implications suggest that Beijing will pursue influence through institutional legitimacy and setting global norms, rather than through massive state-led financial commitments.
中文摘要
中國的最新白皮書倡導建立一個以聯合國為核心、多極化的全球秩序，旨在提升全球南方國家（Global South）的影響力。儘管北京成功地將自身定位為治理改革的設計者——藉機利用西方世界被認為正在收縮的能力空隙——但其核心發現卻存在顯著矛盾：外交野心極高，卻缺乏投入重大財政資源的承諾。這表明中國的戰略並非旨在取代西方的經濟主導地位，而是透過重塑國際規則和標準來投射規範性力量（normative power）。因此，政策意涵指出，北京將會透過建立制度合法性和制定全球規範來追求影響力，而非依賴大規模國家主導的財政投入。
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