Abstract
Xi Jinping’s speeches at Asia Pacific Cooperation Summit and Davos Economic Forum
sounded more like the addresses traditionally made by US presidents—praising free
trade, integration, and openness. Xi’s China has become confident in its dealings with
the regional and extra-regional states. And it has pursued free trade and bilateral and
multilateral treaties to strengthen its position in the international system. China’s
smart approach based on conforming, challenging, and creating alternatives in the
system shows that it does not intend to challenge the fundamentals of US-led global
order but strives to gain maximum advantage out of it. It strives to shape the system
and contribute to its evolution with Chinese characteristics.
