The Anglo stewardship of the world since the 90s has been an exercise in what happens when a nation aspires for power for the sake of power without any regard to moral righteousness. As Confucian teachings put it, the morals of the state's leaders are reflected upon the state itself and nowhere is this more apparent in the corruption of the anglo oligarchs. Venal, incompetent, lazy, and possessing the maturity of an 8th grader, they behave like a irate child upending a board game when they're losing, now wishing to turn the world aflame.
Western powers were propelled to the front of civilisation because they had the enlightenment which brought about the industrial revolution. Something between letting go of old belief systems, questioning and rebelling against them. Something perhaps to do with simple intellectual effort of questioning and the courage to step beyond. Perhaps as simple as the old suspicion that the more
collectively deluded and superstitious a civilisation/society is, the more backward and stuck as backward (in every way except maybe environmental impact) this group is doomed to be until they lose those shackles.
Western tribes/nations/empires have been at war with each other before this and after it. Only after WW2 (both WW were western nation dominated for a reason!) have western powers been at relatively uneasy peace, unified only by the clear superiority in overall power of the US and the threat of the unknown (represented by the Soviets)... hence unifying under the US umbrella.
They are well practiced at war and know war all too well for very long... much longer than the Chinese have been. Chinese were never really about warring or desired it or used it as a means of conquest. Chinese used culture, literature, technology for example and implemented "tributory" status for others they considered lower in overall power while respecting their ways, their differences, and their sovereignty. Vietnam is the exception and its northern parts long considered as "China" because they were a southern kindgom that spoke dialects identical to those from southern China ... and Mongol rule in China did see periods of conquest. I mean they did conquer China after all so yeah.
Western mindset is about conquering. Conquering others, conquering different, conquering nature. They did it to themselves and do it to others. China passed that stage since the first emperor and sort of got over that tribal warfare between lands that are literally days walk away. Unifying difference is actually a commendable thing and worthy of attention and study. Unifying by force, then by shared belief of something greater than themselves. With China, it's historically been mostly cultural and pseudo religious... more appropriately defined as cultural to be honest but hallmarks of religion - the path and general belief and devotion to living/preparing for the eternal existence, levels of Daoist "enlightenment" and is pretty much the same thing as Judeo Christian ways of old as well with detail differences.
West unified by common "enemies" they themselves allowed to become and continue as enemies (honestly it's hilarious many don't see the fault of their ways). Islamic world unified by a means that is quite similar to how the ancient Chinese world (of divided kingdoms and tribes) were unified - a base belief system of course among plenty of other smaller factors. The current EU is a step towards achieving unity. Wasn't so long ago at all when they were cussing and lying about each other and killing with horrifying enthusiasm. So EU sort of like a step towards this sense of unifying relatively minor but CLEAR differences.
The reason is because the western mindset is brought up on encouraging individuality and nearly always rewarding and promoting this. It's sometimes a good thing but very often terrible. Almost all others are brought up on being more considerate of the group and of the other. The west is about conquering the other and demonstrating superiority even if won by ill means. Chinese empire is thoroughly incapable of addressing the western attacks and problem by engaging it with the same means. It'll get beaten all the time. It cannot engage the world with its usual means because of the western exaggerations and non-stop psychological warfare mentioned before. It's already deeply rooted and cannot be overcome without much time spent expertly reversing the damage and allowing truth, understanding, and intelligence to take hold over the world. This will not happen in our lifetimes. Therefore China's rise will be limited to the tangible stuff within its own borders. The science and tech it develops and sells. The money and resources it makes and collects. The people who eventually slowly but surely have their lives improved and more opportunities granted. Convert all that into meaningful things like the ones mentioned while correcting all the errors and issues within and about China that is certainly undesirable but unfortunate and sometimes even necessary.
The western ways is basically irresponsible - constantly electing candy shop owners and salesman when they need a dentist. The Chinese way at least understands sometimes a step back in necessary and sometimes bitter medicine is necessary for the eventual greater good. Sometimes it's more dire and a matter of survival. The mindset and cultural differences are astronomical not only because our thinking and even biology evolved differently and evolved apart under different circumstances for millennia.
