Jianli Yang of The National Interest argues that recent meetings in Beijing involving Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and the planned visit of Vladimir Putin suggest China is becoming the central diplomatic power in an emerging multipolar world order. Rather than a simple US-China rivalry, the author describes a possible “G3” dynamic in which Beijing manages relations with both Washington and Moscow while positioning itself as a global broker.

The piece highlights how shared interests—such as avoiding economic instability, managing tensions with Iran, and preventing wider conflict—are pushing the three powers toward limited cooperation despite ongoing competition. China is portrayed as uniquely positioned because it maintains strong ties with Russia while still depending heavily on economic relations with the United States.

Yang also focuses on India as a key “swing power” in this evolving system. India seeks to maintain strategic autonomy by balancing ties with the US, Russia, and China, but faces growing uncertainty as Russia moves closer to Beijing and US policy becomes more transactional. Yang argues that the world is shifting toward a more unstable, negotiated multipolar order, with China increasingly at its center.