The World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Chinese city of Dalian last week for the so-called Summer Davos came at a time when China is assuming a greater global profile, including on issues such as climate change and trade. This forum is not the first time this year that China has used the WEF to position itself positively on the world stage. In January, Xi Jinping became the first Chinese president to give a speech at Davos in Switzerland, making an impassioned defense of economic globalization in the face of protectionist rhetoric. China has been a big beneficiary of globalisation, with International Monetary Fund data since 2014 showing that the Chinese economy is now larger than the US on a purchasing power parity basis. But the consequences of China’s strong economic growth have been more than financial. In terms of perceptions, many believe the global economic and political balance of power has swung significantly, and this has been reinforced by major Chinese trade and diplomatic forays such as the “One Belt, One Road” initiative.