80th Anniversary of China’s Triumph Marks Symbolic Display of Power

China marked the 80th anniversary of its triumph over Japan with an intricate spectacle on September 3, 2025. They used this occasion to reveal to 26 global leaders, positioned strategically, the stunning display of their military prowess. Observers across the globe, especially those in the West, have found themselves wondering if this indicates a shift towards a world order dominated by China, replacing the existing international system guided by the United States. Indeed, the world order is evolving and even though the U.S. continues to be influential, new changes bring a design drastically distinct from the old system.

Interpreting global events historically, patterns of shifting dominance emerge. These shifts in power, along with the accompanying institutions and norms, define the world orders of respective eras. Notably, from 1815 to 1880, the scale tilted in favor of the United Kingdom, which enjoyed the status of undisputed world power with its expansive empire and globally reaching navy.

Post 1880 until 1945, the world saw multiple imperial rivalries, where other nations, the U.S. and largely European ones, aimed to replicate the success of Britain and supersede its hegemony. This era gave way to a bipolar world, from 1945 to 1991, distinguishing itself by the rivalry between two superpowers, the Soviet Union and the U.S.

The crumbling of the Soviet Union heralded the dawn of a short-lived unipolar world from 1991 to 2008. This era was marked by the U.S.’s dominance, both in terms of military might and economic strength. Following the decline of communism worldwide, the U.S. amplified its influence through international institutions like the World Trade Organization, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund- all integral parts of the rules-based global order established after 1945.

However, multiple challenges thwarted the duration of this American global dominance. A protracted war on terrorism, the ill-fated invasion of Iraq, an extended occupation of Afghanistan, and the climactic global financial crisis of 2008 impacted the U.S’s strength and shook the national consensus on its role as global law enforcement.

The recent times have witnessed a new kind of world order- a multipolar one with four stark sources of power. Nevertheless, the U.S. continues to hold significant sway in this arrangement. Blessed with extensive territorial expanse, a robust economy, and the strategic positioning of large bodies of water to its east and west, the U.S. finds itself at the heart of this order.

Yet, bearing the financial burden of this global projection has led American policy-makers to shift some of these costs to their erstwhile allies. This move precipitated a militarization spree across Europe and East Asia, resulting in growing military expenditures. This change consequently transformed the economic landscape, fostering economic nationalism and posing serious threats to free trade.

The outcomes of such military realignments coupled with the creation of substantial trade barriers might pose a challenge to forge durable alliances in the future. This signifies the inevitable decline of what was eloquently termed the ‘American Century’ by publisher Henry Luce back in 1941.

As the world adapts, China increasingly presents itself as a strong competitor to the U.S., both in terms of economic capacity and military power. With untiring leadership from Xi Jinping, China has begun to propose a world order that is more centered on itself, matching institutions and global arrangements.

Russia, though integral to this emerging order, takes a back seat and remains not quite an equal. Its influence is more regional, leveraging a sphere of influence over the nations that once were part of the former Soviet Union.

Europe is not immune to the shifting power dynamics and faces imminent challenges. In the foreseeable future, it has the potential to rise as an independent economic and military power, disassociated from the U.S. Yet the three key power hubs- US, Europe, and China- each grapple with challenges both common and distinct.

Several larger nations in the Global South, including Brazil, India, and Indonesia, watch these changes with bated breath. Their specific role in this complex power play is still a question that remains unanswered.

The world braces itself for a tug-of-war of power as the primary major powers seek alliances while simultaneously managing internal pressures. Every world order comes to an end, that is the universal truth.

The aspiration is that this old world order can fade without a dramatic end, that it can transition quietly rather than in a devastating, louder manner.

Nonetheless, whatever the method of transition, the world prepares itself for a new era, a new order, and a new definition of global power dynamics.