GLOBAL POWER SHIFTS IN THE POST-COVID WORLD: THE RISE OF CHINA AND THE CHALLENGE TO WESTERN HEGEMONY

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed a fundamental transformation in global power dynamics, challenging the longstanding hegemony of the West and accelerating the rise of China. This article explores the structural shifts in international relations (IR) theory and practice post-COVID-19, examining China’s strategic leverage, Western vulnerabilities, and the reconfiguration of global governance. Drawing upon interdisciplinary and geopolitical analyses, the study investigates the emerging multipolar world order and the implications of China's ascendancy for liberal internationalism.