G2 or Not G2? The 2025 World Order Debate

In October 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a “G2 Summit” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, reviving the idea of a bipolar world led jointly by the United States and China. While framed as a path toward stability, this proposal raises questions about whether a G2 model reflects the realities of today’s global order. This paper argues that the international system has moved beyond unipolarity and is not returning to bipolarity, but instead evolving toward multipolarity. The post-World War II Pax Americana has gradually eroded due to economic shifts, military constraints, and the rise of emerging powers. Institutions such as BRICS, the G20, and regional development banks illustrate a broader diffusion of influence. Growing de-dollarization, technological interdependence, and strategic autonomy pursued by actors like India and the European Union further complicate bilateral dominance. Ultimately, the G2 framework appears more symbolic than structural, reflecting diplomatic rhetoric rather than the complex, multipolar reality shaping global governance in 2025.