WWII commemorations a powerful rejoinder to rising right

In a recent article, Brown cited a Focaldata survey of 36,000 respondents across 34 countries, and he said, "contrary to the'America First' critique of multilateralism, trust in the World Health Organization stands at 60 percent globally (71 percent in Africa) and 58 percent trust the UN — a higher level than most national governments enjoy."

Anum A. Khan, associate director of research at the Center for International Strategic Studies in Islamabad in Pakistan, said the power dynamics in the global world order are changing.

"While past powers combined economic and military might, China's rise is focused on economic interdependence as a responsible stakeholder rather than a revisionist power," she wrote in a recent article.

Wu Shicun, chairman of the Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance, said, "The development of China's military capabilities and the growth of its defense budget are aimed at safeguarding its legal rights and interests, not at threatening other nations like some other countries do."

"China's growth in economic strength and defense capabilities serves to champion territorial integrity, especially to counter impulses for seeking 'Taiwan independence'," he added.

He said China will further champion the postwar international order and multilateralism through the consistency of its project policies, such as the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).

"As long as countries such as China and Russia remain dedicated to securing the postwar international order, there will be lesser chance for unilateralism and anti-globalization movements to substantially overturn the order," he added.