Unlike the Cold War, when the national strategies of the United States and Soviet Union shaped the course of world development, changes in the international pol

President Xi Jinping has pointed out that the world we live in is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century.

A tragic sensibility after the experience of two world wars compelled the United States to establish a new international order backed by American power. After decades of relative peace and prosperity, however, this sensibility is waning – as the United States demonstrates a lack of collective will to maintain its position on the global stage. As China increasingly assumes the position of a world power, it must maintain its tragic sensibility and awareness of crisis.

In the nineteenth century, the world was Europeanized. In the twentieth century, it was Americanized. Now, it is being Asianized – and much faster than you may think.

In combination, the two countries can team up against the U.S. power advantage, but there are some significant limitations, as they don’t always see eye to eye.

Globalization has brought a new set of international issues to the table. A neutral voice of moderation that understands the world’s challenges should emerge to avoid decoupling or disaster.

The massive fires in the Amazon Rainforest have ignited concern and sparked debates about the main actors behind climate change. Now the question remains – are the primary countries responsible going to take the action necessary to save the planet?

It’s only a matter of time before the United States loses its predominant position as the controller of international rhetoric and is supplanted by China as allies and partners lose confidence.

The G7 Summit, which just concluded at the French seaside resort of Biarritz, showed that Europe and the United States diverge with and even increasingly confront each other on trade issues. Considering its fading influence, the continued value of the G7 has been thrown into doubt, even by European academia.

Today’s trade disputes epitomize a new stage of the globalization process. More and more countries are employing trade sanctions and customs duties for the purpose of national security. As globalization moves from integration to fragmentation and as competition becomes more intense and friction more frequent, open markets will become increasingly rare.