The debate about “world order” and “China’s new leadership role” is attracting more attention especially when China has more loudly expressed support to the economic globalization and free-trade at a time when these ideas are under criticism in the Western world. Many in China who are also interested in the debate find the concepts behind these terms are not as clear as they may look.

Recent nationalistic trends suggest not that globalization is dead but that it has entered a new phase. It is overly simplistic to define the momentum for change as “anti-globalization”. China now needs to work harder than ever in order to optimize and even lead globalization.

Major powers need to work together to push globalization forward in the right direction, with more equitable benefits for people in every country. Any action to gain geopolitical advantage at the expense of another major power will not only bring risks to global security but damage prospects for world economic growth.

A spectre was haunting Davos, and its name was Donald Trump.

Nine years after the global financial crisis, while many economies are on the mend, anxiety lingers about the negative side of economic globalization. Populist and protectionist forces dismiss globalization as working against ordinary workers and widening economic inequality. Should globalization be blamed for all the problems facing the world? Is a reversal of globalization the way forward?

He Yafei, a former top Chinese diplomat, dissects globalism under attack and China's pursuit of a growing leadership role in global governance. Mr. He also offers his insights on what China can do to manage its ties with the Uwith the Trump administration.

Though the international economy remains unstable, the trend of economic globalization is irresistible. In the face of populist movements, however, it is critical to demonstrate the benefits and make globalization both broader and deeper to make it fairer to developing countries and more valuable to all.

What we are witnessing today is not “the toss out of globalization” or “de-globalization”, but rather a new era or phase of globalization or “re-globalization” wherein greater and more complicated challenges become the order of the day. Therefore we need concerted efforts more than ever before to ascertain the big trends as well as individual difficulties and work out consensus and solutions for collective actions to “make globalization great again”. China has no option but to be in the fore front of globalization and global governance.

Humanity has to choose between pressing ahead with globalization and backpedaling. China’s president seized the moment to inject enthusiasm for economic globalization as it faces strong headwind from the US.

Mr. Xi brings Davos a message of pluralism, as opposed to the universalism most of his audience has preached. He is no Davos Man. But perhaps this is just what globalization needs. Before it can be restarted, it needs a reset.