Madyn Coakley & Brett Benedict
China is no longer just investing in infrastructure abroad—it is building narratives, reshaping norms, and promoting authoritarian frameworks to overturn the liberal international order. In September 2021, President Xi Jinping addressed the UN General Assembly and introduced the Global Development Initiative (GDI), an unprecedented effort to lead the future of the Global South. Branded as a vision for “balanced, coordinated, and inclusive growth,” the GDI garnered wide support among developing nations.
But that was only the start. Soon after, Beijing also unveiled the Global Security and Civilization Initiatives (GSI and GCI), expanding its agenda beyond economics to security and governing norms. These initiatives signal more than a rebranding of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)—they represent a strategic effort to redefine the rules and norms of the international system.
Together, they form the backbone of Beijing’s grand strategy to achieve “national rejuvenation” by 2049. Instead of resorting to open conflict, China seeks to elevate itself to superpower status by developing economic and technological dependencies, discreetly extending its military influence through dual-use infrastructure, and spreading authoritarian norms abroad to shape perceptions and behavior in Beijing’s image. Meanwhile, Russia wages hybrid warfare in Eastern Europe and Africa, Iran expands its influence through regional proxies, and transnational violent extremist groups continue to thrive, further straining the liberal international order that China seeks to upend.
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