China’s Window to Shape a Post-Trump World Slips

Shambaugh and Jackson argue that Trump’s 2025 return has created a global strategic vacuum for Beijing to fill, but China’s gains remain uneven across regions. It commands broad diplomatic reach and massive economic leverage, yet lacks durable alliances and a universally appealing model, leaving many countries hedging their bets between Washington and Beijing. Europe remains wary, Africa and Latin America show both opportunity and pushback over neocolonial perceptions, and Southeast Asia is cautious despite strong trade ties. Even with a potential Xi–Trump summit, a decisive shift in global power is unlikely; the world looks more multipolar and characterized by hedging than a clean U.S.–China bipolar order.