China has gotten a new image, but the dictatorship is the same

China has gained a new image, leading to increased global trust measurements, with some nations preferring to depend on China over the USA. This shift is attributed both to Donald Trump's actions against the US image and a long-term strategic work from Beijing aimed at enhancing global influence. A strategy involving cultural promotion was initiated by Hu Jintao in 2007, focusing on strengthening culture to enhance soft power. Under Xi Jinping, this ambition has escalated to establishing an image as a benevolent future land through technological leadership in green energy, electric vehicles, AI, and infrastructure. China seeks to lead the transition in these areas rather than copy the USA, emphasizing its strengths in rapid technological transitions. This narrative is supported by claims that open-source technology functions as technological soft power, making China's approach appealing globally. Furthermore, certain intellectual and political groups in the West are increasingly viewing China as a potential alternative or benevolent superpower, which manifests in shifts among right-wing and left-wing factions.

The narrative constructs a deliberate dissonance: portraying China as a benevolent, culturally dynamic superpower while simultaneously emphasizing its authoritarian capabilities and expansionist military ambitions. This tension is exploited by various actors in the West, creating what can be characterized as an updated orientalism where complex geopolitical reality is simplified into mystical narratives of Chinese genius or inherent tyranny. The shift from viewing China through the lens of rigid historical superiority to adopting a view of a "benevolent superpower" serves multiple functions: it diffuses Western anxiety by offering an attractive alternative, and it justifies the strategic alignment with Beijing, particularly concerning technological leadership in the green transition where China holds tangible material advantage. The appeal for authoritarian alternatives among certain fringe political groups suggests a recognition that systemic shifts often favor strong state capacity over liberal democratic ideals. Furthermore, the anecdote regarding Zhou Enlai and Kissinger demonstrates how historical narratives can be deliberately distorted to serve contemporary geopolitical agendas; by overestimating China's perceived foresight, Western observers rationalize an unequal power dynamic rather than confronting actual strategic competition. The ultimate implication is a struggle over framing—whether global dynamics are defined by material, technological achievements or adherence to liberal political principles—and who benefits from the resulting consensus surrounding this new, ambiguous view of China.