The world that China desires and is shaping

The article analyzes China's strategy to reshape the global order amidst the perceived decline of American foreign policy. It argues that China is not seeking to overturn the existing international system but rather selectively revising it, preserving institutional structures while subtly rewriting the normative foundations. Beijing's engagement with the UN, WTO, and creation of parallel institutions like AIIB and NDB demonstrate its institutional revisionism. More significantly, China's four global initiatives (Development, Security, Civilization, Governance) are presented as a campaign of 'norm entrepreneurship,' aiming to redefine concepts like human rights, democracy, and sovereignty to align with its authoritarian objectives. The article highlights how China champions Westphalian norms when convenient but disregards them (e.g., South China Sea ruling) when not, posing a risk to the principles of sovereign equality, individual rights, and the rule of law, which is contrary to India's strategic interests.