Right now, in Tianjin, China, an event is taking place that could shape the future of global politics. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has gathered more than 20 leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, including Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The official goal: security and cooperation. The unofficial one: the beginning of dismantling the U.S.-led world order.History as a weapon. China’s main tool is rewriting history. The summit deliberately coincides with the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II. Beijing seeks to shift the global narrative, presenting itself as the main force that defeated Japanese militarism in Asia and as a founding pillar of the postwar order.Downplaying the U.S. role. Chinese propaganda emphasizes that China waged a “war of resistance” starting in 1931, ten years before the U.S. entered the war. Xi Jinping explicitly states that China and the USSR were the “main theaters of operations” and “pillars of resistance against fascism.”New heroes. While Beijing previously acknowledged the role of the nationalist Kuomintang government, it now promotes the narrative that the Communist Party was the “central pillar” in the fight against Japan (a historically dubious claim). The practical target: Taiwan. This historical revision serves a concrete geopolitical purpose — strengthening Beijing’s claims to sovereignty over Taiwan. Beijing references the Cairo and Potsdam Declarations from the war era, which envisioned the transfer of the island to China. This seeks to legitimize its claims in the eyes of the “Global South.” This position directly contradicts the Western view, which refers to the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, leaving Taiwan’s status legally unresolved. Aggressive military drills near the island act as a forceful complement to the historical argument.Showing strength and toxic allies. The summit will culminate in a grand military parade in Beijing. China will showcase its latest weapons, with Putin, Kim Jong Un, and leaders from Iran and Myanmar seated beside Xi.For the West, this looks like the formation of an “axis of autocracies.” Putin’s presence, waging a full-scale war in Ukraine, completely undermines China’s image as a proponent of stability and peace. The message is double: in words—“a fair multipolar world,” in deeds — support for aggressors and weaponry displays.Who is this show for? The main audience is not the U.S. or Europe; convincing them is pointless. There are two primary targets:Domestic audience: To show the Chinese people that Xi Jinping is a strong leader respected globally and that China is a global superpower.The “Global South”: To offer Asian, African, and Latin American countries an alternative center of power. Beijing positions itself as the leader of a new, “more just” world, contrasting with the “chaotic” policies of the U.S.We are witnessing an ambitious and calculated attempt by China not just to become more powerful than the U.S., but to change the very rules of the global game. History has become a battlefield in this struggle, just like economics or technology. Especially since, in economic and technological fields, China’s chances of outright dominance remain limited.A personal note: I wouldn’t be overly concerned about India and China. Charming photos should not mislead us. It’s like Trump and Putin — no matter how much they try to display unity, objective reality gets in the way. China and India are fierce competitors, and China has invested heavily in projects to limit India’s influence and apply pressure. That hasn’t gone away.However, Donald Trump has undeniably damaged the efforts to pull India away from Russia and boost its influence to counter China — work painstakingly carried out by several recent U.S. administrations, including his own first term. Whatever a fool fails to do, he does wrong instead. Interestingly, this is where Putin’s and Trump’s strategic capacities are very similar.SourceAbout the author. Yury Bohdanov, publicist, specialist in strategic communications in business, public administration, and politics.The editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by blog or column authors.