As the center of global economic gravity shifts eastward, Europe is riven by internal divisions, transatlantic frictions are becoming increasingly apparent, and the United States is drifting away from the United Nations–the core institution of the postwar international order. The foundations of the old order are being shaken. Amid this profound transformation of world order, a central question can no longer be avoided: When the West is consumed by internal strife, and even dismantles multilateral systems with its own hands, has its claim to leadership become little more than a castle in the air? And on what grounds can its legitimacy still be asserted? Kishore Mahbubani and Martin Jacques confront this myth directly, unpack the West's growing dilemmas, and explore where the world may be heading next.

 

(CGTN's First Voice provides instant commentary on breaking stories. The column clarifies emerging issues and better defines the news agenda, offering a Chinese perspective on the latest global events.)