ABSTRACT
Although China’s assertive foreign policy has been attributed to Xi Jinping, it is the logical continuation of a longer process that Xi, taking advantage of the opportunities created by the PRC’s growing power, has extended and built into a comprehensive blueprint for a Sinocentric world order. An economic component introduced in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative, promised common prosperity through Beijing-financed infrastructure development. This was followed in 2022 by a Global Security Concept under which international harmony would be maintained under Chinese guidance and a Global Civilization Concept in 2023, described as another gift from China to the world under which China sharing its wisdom will bring new hope for all nations to escape a clash of civilizations. Many obstacles must be overcome before Xi’s dream can be consummated, including problems in Belt and Road projects, the PRC’s faltering economy, pushback from other nations, and high-handed Chinese behavior.
