For more than a week at the United Nations, China has carefully cultivated an image: that of a reliable global power, ready to embrace international responsibilities. This narrative stands in stark contrast to a United States, led by President Trump, increasingly signaling its retreat from the world stage.
During the U.N. General Assembly, Chinese leaders unveiled new commitments on trade and climate change. While their practical impact might be debated, these announcements served a crucial purpose: to project China as a steadfast pillar of global stability and a champion of international cooperation.
In a thinly veiled critique aimed at Washington, Premier Li Qiang, China’s second-highest official, told the assembly on Friday that the global economy was suffering from ‘the rise in unilateral and protectionist measures such as tariff hikes.’ He emphasized, in opposition, that China has consistently ‘opened its door wider to the world.’
Earlier in the week, Beijing announced it would stop claiming trade benefits traditionally reserved for developing nations at the World Trade Organization. This move, experts suggest, was a calculated attempt to demonstrate China’s commitment to fairer trade practices, especially as the Trump administration continues to use tariffs as a political tool.
Regarding climate action, Chinese leader Xi Jinping addressed a U.N. summit via video link on Wednesday, unveiling China’s first-ever detailed targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He declared the shift to ‘green and low carbon’ economies as ‘the trend of our time,’ pointedly criticizing nations ‘acting against’ this transition—a clear jab at the United States.
The juxtaposition was stark. Mr. Xi’s environmental promise came just one day after Mr. Trump dismissed climate change as ‘the greatest con job’ and the work of ‘stupid people.’
These consecutive announcements clearly illustrate Beijing’s strategic move to counter the ‘America First’ doctrine. China champions ‘true multilateralism,’ actively embracing global bodies and agreements that President Trump has often disregarded, such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the Paris climate accord.
According to Dylan Loh, a Chinese foreign policy expert at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, China’s aim is to convince other nations that it acts as a ‘moral and righteous actor,’ thereby encouraging them to align with Beijing rather than Washington.
Mr. Loh observed, ‘They’re seizing opportunities. Where the United States leaves a void in global leadership, especially on issues like climate change, China is ready to fill that gap.’
However, a critical question remains: are China’s efforts truly impactful, or are they merely exceeding the minimal expectations set by the Trump administration’s disengagement from climate science and international agreements?
Consider Mr. Xi’s climate pledges. To realistically limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels—the central aim of the Paris Agreement—experts indicate China would need to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent from peak levels over the next decade. Instead, the world’s leading polluter committed to a reduction of only 7 to 10 percent.
Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute, expressed disappointment: ‘President Xi’s announced target falls short of the climate leadership the world urgently needs.’ Yet, he also voiced optimism that China’s rapidly expanding electric vehicle, wind, and solar energy sectors could help the nation surpass these initial goals.
Historically, China has been hesitant to commit to more ambitious climate goals, citing concerns that such measures could impede its economic growth.
A similar paradox exists in China’s self-identification as a ‘developing country.’ This label strengthens its solidarity with less developed nations, even though its economy, nearing $19 trillion, is already the world’s second-largest.
Premier Li’s recent trade commitment—to forgo certain benefits at the WTO—seemed designed to bridge this discrepancy. These benefits typically include extended timelines for implementing trade agreements.
However, Li Yihong, China’s chief trade envoy, reiterated to reporters in Geneva that China would ‘always be a part of the developing world.’
The United States has consistently accused China of not adhering to its 2001 WTO entry promises. The Trump administration specifically contends that China’s ‘developing nation’ status has long been exploited to manipulate global trade regulations.
Stephen Olson, a former U.S. trade negotiator and senior visiting fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, remarked, ‘China wants to have it both ways. It’s unwilling to relinquish its ‘membership card’ in the Global South, a bloc it clearly aims to lead.’
Mr. Olson cautioned that this policy adjustment shouldn’t overshadow China’s problematic trade behaviors, such as providing subsidies that give Chinese exports an unfair advantage over goods produced by other nations.
Berry Wang contributed reporting from Hong Kong.