China’s global initiatives, including the GCI, calling for an egalitarian and inclusive order in pursuit of just and coherent global governance, are a corrective bid to reinstate the sagging Westphalian order for the benefit of the international community. The rollout of the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) a year ago introduced a new public good to humanity. This Chinese initiative has driven home a clear message that all nations have the right to choose their own development paths in their pursuit of modernization, which is not necessarily synonymous with Westernization, as demonstrated by China’s example. The inspirational success of China in eradicating extreme poverty 10 years ahead of the target deadline set by the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda has debunked the myth that Westernization is the only route to modernization. Given contemporary geopolitics, which is evolving into a multipolar world, the main takeaway of the GCI focuses on the dire need for self-confidence building, notably in the Global South. This self-confidence is essential before the emerging economies can unshackle themselves from the cultural subjugation imposed by their former Western colonial masters. This is no Cold War parlance but a reality particularly relevant in the Global South, where young nations that declared independence after World War II are struggling to regain their cultural confidence and, thus, their economic sovereignty. While their economic resources remain largely in the grip of multinationals acting as proxies for their former colonial rulers, the lingering lack of cultural confidence after prolonged colonial rule allows the insidious force of cultural subordination to harden the myth that modernization must equate to Westernization. This situation provides a convenient pretext for these colonial proxies to plunder the wealth of these nations, which is a widespread practice across the developing world, especially in Africa. In retrospect, this...