ng joel

China’s rise as a global power has often been assumed to unfold within the international order created and maintained by the West. As a result, much attention has been focused on its challenge to the liberal institutional order established after the Second World War - particularly as China has sought influence within these institutions in line with its growing global stature.

However, far less attention has been paid to the phenomenon of Sino-centric multilateralism - the emergence of new multilateral formats initiated by China or operating largely outside the reach of the liberal order. These initiatives often begin as summits and gradually formalise over time through institutionalisation, or they evolve within forums predominantly composed of Global South countries.

The Dragon’s Emerging Order is the first volume to offer a comprehensive, global stocktake of China’s efforts to enhance its centrality in international relations. It provides clear insights into the struggle for global influence, highlighting the interplay of both hard and soft power. As the liberal order has weakened - particularly during the second Trump administration in the United States - Sino-centric multilateralism becomes increasingly relevant to scholars of global order, illuminating how alternative structures are being constructed to challenge or supplant the existing ones.

With chapters covering every major regional grouping, and in-depth analyses of both China’s actions and the responses of its partner states, this book delivers timely, policy-relevant analysis with far-reaching implications for the development of global and regional orders.