While the challenge from China to American primacy is usually posited as the defining contest of the century, underpinning this geopolitical struggle is an unfolding deeper contest between what seems to be an old order in disarray—the US-led West—and another, at least rivalrous Axis, still in its formative throes, including China, Russia, and other such-minded powers.
The Western, US-led order, which dominated global affairs since the end of World War II, is now cracked internally. Political fragmentation, economic inequalities, and shifting allies strain its cohesion. Causes that once held the West together in unity—liberal democracy—are now under attack from burgeoning populism and internal dissent, mighty in standing as one.
On the other side, there is a more fragmented but large and growing camp: that of China, Russia, and probably their allies, moving toward offsetting Western influence. This bloc, still not crystallized, is marked by strategic cooperation and common interests contesting the status quo in world affairs. The economic might of China, allied with its geopolitical ambitions, and the military assertiveness and regional influence of Russia reshape the global balance of power. It also includes other nations disillusioned with the Western-led order or seeking to assert their interests in the emerging Axis.
More Read
The challenge is founded on the rise of China as an economic powerhouse. From the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative to sizeable investments in infrastructure, all backed by developing military muscle, it is now a central player in the global theater. China’s insistent position in the South China Sea and the strategic partnerships that hold different countries together indicate a presence that refuses to go unnoticed through regional and global dynamics.
Meanwhile, Russia does this by questioning Western influence with its military power and geopolitical games. Its actions in Ukraine, Syria, and geostrategic alignments with China are all part of a greater strategy to regain influence by questioning the order designed at the end of the Cold War. The efforts to cement relationships with China and other nations feeling aggrieved by the Western-led system underline Russia’s role in the rising Axis.
This is not simply a struggle for national interests; it’s part of a deeper ideological and strategic rivalry. In one corner is the US-led West, with its penchant for liberal democracy and market economies, while in the other corner is the Axis and its alternative models of governance and strategic partnerships. It is an inbuilt struggle that features rivalry in a myriad of global arenas, such as trade, military technology, and diplomatic influence.
The stakes of the contest are profound. If it succeeds in weakening US-led Western dominance, a fundamental recomposition of the existing world order may be in the offing. Indeed, such a shift could well open the doors to new power relations, changed trade patterns, and revised international norms. Military and economic conflict could increase dramatically as the rising Axis challenges, and perhaps eventually replaces, the established order.
At stake in this competition, therefore, is the stability of the world at large. The strife of an old, crumbling order with a nascent, rivalrous Axis will feed regional wars, economic instability, and realignments of international alliances. These struggles may also tear nations situated between these competing powers apart with difficult choices that will affect domestic policies and international strategies.
While it is already taken for granted that the rise of China, together with its challenge to American primacy, is already one of the key features of contemporary global life, a broader contest, perhaps between the declining US-led West and an emerging Axis of China, Russia, and other rising powers, may actually be more significant. The outcome will be crucial in defining the geopolitical landscape for the 21st century, with repercussions for global stability, economic patterns, and the future course of international relations.
