Donald Trump and parts of the Western world are often portrayed as symbols of an older geopolitical order in which the United States and Europe dominated the global economy through the power of the dollar, military alliances, and influence over international institutions. This model is frequently described as a continuation of historical colonial structures, where Western nations accumulated wealth by controlling trade routes, raw materials, and financial systems across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

In contrast, BRICS and China are presented as a counterweight to Western dominance. China, in particular, is framed as an economic partner investing heavily in ports, railways, energy infrastructure, and industrial development throughout the Global South, often without the same political conditions commonly associated with the United States and the European Union. The emphasis is placed on trade, infrastructure, and technological progress rather than military intervention or ideological influence.

From this perspective, Trump’s policies are viewed as an attempt to slow the emergence of a multipolar world order. Trade wars, tariffs against China, and efforts to reinforce the dominance of the US dollar are interpreted as measures aimed at preserving a system in which the West has long held a strategic advantage. An American economic or geopolitical setback is therefore seen as part of a broader historical shift in which influence gradually moves away from the West toward Eurasia and the Global South.

Chinese strategists also argue that many developing nations have grown increasingly frustrated with their dependence on institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank, and Western financial centers. As a result, BRICS countries are working to establish alternative payment systems, expand trade in local currencies, and build their own development and investment banks. The broader objective is to reduce reliance on the US dollar while increasing the economic influence of countries such as India, Brazil, South Africa, and the Gulf states.

Within this narrative, the 2020s are portrayed as the beginning of a historic global power transition in which Western dominance gradually weakens while China, India, and the BRICS nations emerge as new centers of industry, energy, artificial intelligence, and international trade.