{
  "id": 3464816,
  "title": "China’s multilateral pitch is finding an audience",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/chinas-multilateral-pitch-is-finding-an-audience",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-26T08:30:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3364767/chinas-multilateral-pitch-finding-audience"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As Beijing increasingly advocates for international cooperation and rules-based stability, its multilateral pitch is finding an audience in an increasingly volatile world. The Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, emphasized the need for a multilateral approach in 2017, during a meeting with foreign ministers in Myanmar. Fast forward to today, and Western leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez have also reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism. This shift is particularly noticeable as the United States, once the architect of the post-war order, has shown signs of losing its edge in various areas. The US has withdrawn from multiple international organizations and engaged in a tariff war with several countries, leading to a vacuum in global leadership. China, however, is not rushing to fill this void. Instead, it is calling for an end to the existing world order, which has been dominated by power. Beijing advocates for multilateral cooperation, respect for the international legal order, and finding mutually beneficial solutions to global challenges. This approach aligns with China's long-term national interest, as it benefits more from predictable rules and stable markets. While some in the West may view China's commitment to multilateralism as self-interest, it is a logical consequence of becoming the world's largest trading nation. The global challenges we face today, from climate change to inequality, demand multilateral measures, and China's leadership in this area is proving to be a convincing one.",
  "summary": "As Washington increasingly turns away from the multilateral order it once helped build, Beijing is emerging as an advocate of international cooperation and rules-based stability. For some, the real surprise is that China’s rise is not challenging the world order but that its interests align with preserving it. When I met Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the corridor of a congress centre in Myanmar, he…",
  "key_points": [
    "China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi advocates for multilateralism since 2017.",
    "Western leaders, including Macron and Sanchez, reaffirm multilateral importance.",
    "China calls for multilateral cooperation amid US leadership vacuum."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
        "title": "China’s multilateral pitch is finding an audience",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/chinas-multilateral-pitch-is-finding-an-audience-3469161",
        "published": "2026-08-26T08:30:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}