At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a pointed address underscoring China’s intention to reshape global governance amid what Beijing perceives as a pullback by the United States. AP News
Li avoided naming the U.S. directly, but he sharply criticized unilateralism and “hegemonism” — terms often associated with American dominance in Chinese diplomatic rhetoric. AP News He lauded China’s “Global Governance Initiative,” a vision promoted by President Xi Jinping, which emphasizes multilateralism, climate responsibility, and strengthening the role of the United Nations in addressing global challenges. AP News
Diplomats and analysts see this as a confident shift in China’s foreign policy posture. While China does not seem to aim at outright replacement of U.S. global leadership, it appears to be jockeying for greater influence within existing institutions, especially in the UN system. AP News Critics question how convincingly Beijing can talk about multilateralism given its domestic and regional actions — particularly in Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and over issues of human rights. AP News
Li’s speech comes against the backdrop of shifting power balances, greater geopolitical fragmentation, and rising pressure on Beijing to demonstrate a model of international engagement that appeals to the developing world.
Sources
AP News — In UN speech, Beijing makes clear its intent to remold global norms, seizing on Trump’s retreat AP News