Great changes unseen in a century

Political scientist Yuan Peng was the first to use the term "great changes unseen in a century" to refer to China's position in contemporary geopolitics. Yuan began using the term in his essays after the 2008 financial crisis. It became prominent following the publication of his book Changes Unseen in 400 Years: From Westphalia to a New World Order. Yuan's book described the Peace of Westphalia as the first major event in the formation of the current world order, followed by the Treaty of Versailles and the Yalta Conference. Yuan wrote that the world is now going through a fourth major change as a result of global population change, the advancement of technology through a Fourth Industrial Revolution, climate change (including energy transitions), and a shift in geopolitical power from the West to the East. The European Council on Foreign Relations describes the phrase "Great changes unseen in a century" as echoing late Qing statesman Li Hongzhang's description of Western powers encroaching on China following the Opium Wars as "unprecedented changes unseen in Millenia" (数千年未有之大变局; shu qianian wei you zhi da bianju). == Usage ==

In Chinese political discourse, "great changes unseen in a century" refers to geopolitical shifts in which the United States is seen as a declining power and in which the rise of populism, economic securitization, and advancing technology create an environment of uncertainty that results in both opportunities and threats for China. The term then became subject of significant academic discussion and by 2022, around 40,000 articles discussing the term appeared in China Integrated Knowledge Resources System. The term received greater attention in media following a March 2023 meeting between Xi and Vladimir Putin. == See also ==