At the same time, intensified US–China competition has expanded across multiple domains, including trade, security, global governance, and technology. The post-1945 governance system has proven increasingly ill-suited to these challenges, as the world is becoming less governed by shared principles, norms, and institutions.

This talk explores how middle powers are responding to these transformations and seeking to assert themselves more strongly in the global arena. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has highlighted the country’s recovery from the legacy of colonialism and civil war in the twentieth century, as well as the political turmoil caused by the 2024 martial law declaration, presenting South Korea’s experience as a source of resilience.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for collective action by middle powers to rebuild resilience and constrain coercion. In Europe, Emmanuel Macron has argued for greater strategic autonomy, emphasising the capacity to act independently in defence, technology, industrial policy, and foreign policy. Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has promoted a vision of responsible Japanese diplomacy that creates peace and prosperity , presenting Japan as a shining lighthouse in the Indo-Pacific .

Taken together, these perspectives highlight the role of values-anchored, yet pragmatic, middle-power agency in shaping a more inclusive and resilient international order.

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