Is this China's moment?

It is hard to miss the optics. Western leaders, once at the forefront of efforts to "contain" China, are now lining up to engage Beijing, openly and pragmatically. US President Donald Trump's disruptive approach has shaken the foundations of the so-called rules-based international order and China appears to be quietly stepping into the diplomatic vacuum.

Following a recent visit by the Canadian prime minister, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer undertook a trip to China, the first by a UK premier in eight years. Not long ago, Starmer himself had described China as a "national security threat," echoing a bipartisan consensus in the West that viewed Beijing primarily through the prism of rivalry and risk. Yet in Beijing, the tone was markedly different. London and Beijing signed a series of agreements aimed at resetting ties, expanding economic cooperation and reopening political channels that had largely frozen.

The reaction from Washington was swift and sharp. President Trump publicly warned that the UK doing business with China was "very dangerous," reinforcing that engagement with Beijing amounts to strategic folly. UK, however, brushed aside the criticism, stressing that US had been kept informed of the visit and that Britain would pursue its national interests independently. That response speaks volumes about the shifting mood among America's closest allies.

The bigger question is why US allies, who once readily followed Washington's lead in branding China an adversary, are now looking to Beijing with renewed interest. The answer lies less in China's sudden transformation and more in the West's growing uncertainty about American leadership.

Trump's return to the White House has accelerated trends already underway. His transactional worldview, disdain for multilateral institutions and willingness to pressure allies as much as adversaries have left Europe, Canada and parts of Asia uneasy. Trade wars, abrupt policy reversals and a selective approach to international law have collectively undermined confidence in the predictability of the United States. For allies accustomed to a relatively stable American anchor, the message has been unsettling: US commitments are conditional, and loyalty does not guarantee protection from tariffs or political pressure.

Against this backdrop, China is presenting itself as a power that can be relied upon. Beijing may not share Western values, but it offers continuity, long-term planning and respect for state-to-state engagement. Chinese leaders emphasise non-interference, economic partnership and a commitment to global trade when Washington appears confrontational. For countries grappling with slow growth, energy transitions and fragile supply chains, that message has undeniable appeal.

This does not mean Western capitals have suddenly become naïve about China. Concerns over human rights, technology security and strategic dependence remain very much alive. But there is a growing recognition that isolating the world's second-largest economy is neither realistic nor desirable. Engagement, many now argue, is a way to manage competition rather than deny reality.

Moreover, China has learned to exploit the chaos without overplaying its hand. Unlike the United States, Beijing is not demanding ideological alignment for cooperation. It is offering markets, investment and diplomatic attention often without public ultimatums. In an era of uncertainty, that restraint can look like stability.

So, is this China's moment? In a narrow sense, yes. The current global disorder has created space for Beijing to expand its influence and recast itself as a pillar of order. Western leaders visiting China are hedging against an unreliable world.

But China's rise as a trusted global power will ultimately depend on the reassurance that its strength will not translate into coercion. For now, however, as allies recalibrate and the old certainties fray, Beijing is benefiting from a simple contrast: where Washington looks unpredictable, China looks steady. And in today's fractured world, that alone can be a powerful advantage.