As the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the Gaza invasion become increasingly protracted and complex, there has been a significant shift in the balance of power within the interpretive framework of international order. The differences in perspectives on the world order between the West, particularly the United States, and the Global South are widening.

 After prolonged military conflicts, there will inevitably be catastrophic humanitarian tragedies, including food security crises and psychological panic. However, the United States, while arming Israel and supplying it with weapons, turns a blind eye to the plight of war-torn Palestinian people, while hypocritically condemning Israel for obstructing international aid to Gaza. The two crises that have spilled over show the essence of the West's self-exceptionalism and the destructive nature of double standards in resolving conflicts. The brutal dichotomy of the United States has greatly diminished the attractiveness of its formula for resolving the world's hotspot issues to the Global South.

Old world order is collapsing
    
The old world order constructed by the United States is collapsing. The image and reality of the United States as a global superpower largely depend on its ability to maintain its dominance in international trade and to set international rules, as well as the demonstration of this capacity. It includes the United States' maintenance of global trade security. But the Red Sea crisis has greatly challenged the United States' existing reputation. The U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardians has a limited number of participants. The maritime freedom advocated by the United States is a false maritime freedom. The United States continuously, selectively, and militarily defends its own and allied maritime freedom to maintain its military dominance and the freedom of U.S. military forces to enter world maritime channels at will.

The United States once proclaimed itself as the “indispensable nation” of the world, with world peace under the rule of United States, maintaining the balance of power among nuclear superpowers.  The selective intervention of the United States in international conflicts and its biased behavior in wars have led to the Pax Americana becoming a thing of the past. Classical realism is returning and new mercantilism is rising. The world no longer has faith in hegemony, and countries must bear more self-protection responsibility. The reluctance to actively participate in U.S.-led joint military operations largely stems from the insecurity concern of the leadership regarding domestic stability.

The existing international order is suffering from dissatisfaction. The Global South is dissatisfied with the current international order because it feels it hasn't received the benefits it deserves. Western developed countries are also dissatisfied because their share of benefits has decreased. Additionally, Europe lacks sufficient sustained economic strength, coordinated diplomacy, and defense policy to continue exerting influence abroad. National conservatism is forming a global trend. They abhor the ceding of sovereignty, suspect elite manipulation of the free market, despise immigrants and hate pluralism. The self-styled world police is unable to bear the heavy burden of intervening in all conflicts and crises worldwide. The United States is declining more in its ability to lead the global order than its economic power. The multilateralism pursued by the Biden administration is a mechanism for bilateral and multilateral coordination at the expense of the U.S. ability to coordinate globally. Paradoxically, looking back in history, the creation of the most important multilateral institutions after World War II all had the shadow of the United States. World politics is undergoing rapid change.

The existing global order continues to fragment, with countries becoming increasingly short-sighted, focusing solely on their own short-term economic gains or security interests. Without the establishment of a new order, both the developed countries and the Global South will lose out.

The Global South is rising and a New Order is being constructed

The Biden administration has ambitiously targeted so-called “authoritarians”, “dictators” and “tyrants” who challenge the Western order globally. The United States is truly targeting those who challenge the “democratic model” of Western values. The Biden administration has tried to portray rivalry between U.S. with China as a confrontation of two values, a confrontation of democracy and authoritarianism. And the abysmal performance of the United States in stopping the Ukrainian and Gaza crises has made it increasingly difficult to solidly coalesce the external will of different nations on the basis of ideological favor, even for American allies and partners. On the battlefield of public opinion and propaganda, where the American and Western media have long dominated, there is a growing aversion in the Global South to reports, commentaries and messages that exude the moral superiority of the Western world and imbued with Western values.

With Iran, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia becoming full members of BRICS on January 1, 2024, BRICS is becoming an organization that represents the Global South. The BRICS expansion is a movement of emerging economies fighting for self-determination of the international discourse on the global stage. Countries of the Global South are collectively shaping a new multipolar order for a new era, unwilling either to be beholden to the Superpower or to return to a world divided into spheres of influence.

Towards a new multipolar order upholding equity and justice

The new world multilevel order should avoid falling into the stereotypical mindset of arguing over who should fill the “power vacuum”. The concept of a power vacuum is a continuation of the hegemonic world view, a blind faith in, and blind obedience to an unchallenged leadership. Pursuing dominance while remaining vigilant against countries of similar power may lead the powerful to overly prioritize building coercive capabilities at the expense of capacity enhancement for the well-being of the people.

The world order is changing, and U.S. hegemony is no longer welcome. As the global economic growth slows down to prevent conflicts and wars from spilling over, major countries are more willing to take joint efforts to bring more stability and certainty. Rather than counting on the United States to autonomously fulfill its share of international responsibility, the Global South prefers solidarity and mutual assistance among themselves. Cold-war and polarized mentalities would only exacerbate instability and uncertainty in the world. China’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative are Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions for accommodating harmonious coexistence and common progress of all countries. The destiny of developing countries should be in their own hands, mutually respecting each other’s concerns, and promoting common development in a new multilevel world order upholding equity and justice.

ZHANG Yuan is professor of the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, China.