01332nas a2200229   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260000900043653000800052653002800060653001700088653002000105653002600125653001300151653001500164100002300179700001800202245014100220300001000361490000700371520072400378       2024                            d  c202410aCCP10aChinese Communist Party10aGlobal South10anew world order10astrategic competition10aTian Xia10aXi Jinping1 aMay-Britt Stumbaum1 aSharon De Cet00aChina's 'Natural Return' to the Center - Beijing's Perspective on Strategic Competition, Drivers, and Alternative Models for World Order  a21-320 v233 a<p>The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sees the growing role and influence of the People&#039;s Republic of China as a return to the natural state of affairs. Building on ancient concepts like Tian Xia and driven by historically shaped preferences for control and dominance, the CCP proposes a &quot;community of shared future for mankind&quot; as an alternative to the Western-shaped rules-based order - a China-centric, hierarchical world order with Beijing at its core, engaging with subordinate states to the &quot;benefit of all.&quot; This article introduces Beijing&#039;s perception of strategic competition, its main interests and drivers, and the avenues it pursues to promote its alternative world order.</p>