Pax Americana is Over

Summary. When Trump flew to Beijing and Xi welcomed him as a peer and not a rival, the symbolism alone told us everything. The old world order, built on American primacy, though not collapsing, is transforming, as the world is transitioning out of a US-led international order wherein America is no longer seen as the preponderant power that seeks to use its strength to uphold norms and underpin institutions. It is losing its enthusiasm (and capacity) for global leadership. The rest of the world can assume that, after Trump, there will continue to be a decline in America's participation in world affairs.