BSR Policy Briefing

BSR Policy Briefing 3/2026

The next superpower – China’s plan to reorder the world
By Mika Hentunen and Kristiina Helenius

The geopolitical clash between China and the United States has rapidly emerged as the defining power struggle of the 21st century, shaping global dynamics from trade and technology to military strategy and soft power. Understanding China’s motivations and the American counterplay has therefore become critical. China’s goal has been to become the world’s largest economy, but that would only be the beginning. Beijing is forging deeper alliances to reshape the world order in its favor. Upon Donald Trump’s return to the White House, China saw its opportunity to pursue the political power it has been striving for at the world stage. This report is an abstract of the non-fiction book “The Next Superpower – China’s plan to reorder the world (Tammi 2025)”. The aim of its authors was to give readers a current analysis though an inside-look at how China is challenging the global order, the forces driving its assertive policies, and the Western response to its rise.