The Scenario:

Imagine a near future where international trade negotiations are no longer solely conducted by human diplomats but are significantly augmented by sophisticated AI agents. These AI agents are programmed with vast datasets on global trade, economic models, historical tariff data, geopolitical strategies, and the specific interests of their respective nations.

The rise of China as an economic superpower in the 21st century has not only reshaped global trade and financial flows but has also fundamentally altered the international system itself. Beyond its sheer economic might, China has exported an alternative development model, one that challenges the long-standing liberal economic orthodoxy championed by the West. This essay argues that China has already remade the international system by demonstrating the viability and attractiveness of its state-led economic playbook, which has been increasingly adopted, or at least considered, by numerous countries across the globe.