Beyond Westphalia: Tianxia, the Belt and Road, and the Quest for a Non-Western IR Paradigm

Abstract This study critically interrogates the dominance of Western International Relations Theory (IRT), arguing that its global authority stems not from theoretical universality, but from historically embedded structures of power, colonialism, and epistemic hegemony. Despite claims to neutrality, Western IRT marginalizes non-Western knowledge systems by universalizing its own concepts and frameworks. Through the lens of epistemic dependency and constitutive localization, the paper highlights how scholars and states from the Global South, notably China, seek to reclaim agency in the production of international theory. Particular attention is paid to the Tianxia system – a normative model of world order rooted in classical Chinese political thought – which emphasizes harmony, relational ethics, and moral authority in contrast to the anarchy and rationalism of the Westphalian paradigm. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is examined as a strategic expression of this worldview, representing not just geopolitical outreach, but a shift in epistemic influence.