The U.S.–China Contention and the Global Order: Technological Competition, Geopolitical Influence, and Institutional Challenges

Abstract

The U.S.–China rivalry has become a defining feature of contemporary global politics, extending beyond trade and military competition to the technological, institutional, and normative foundations of the international order. This article examines how competition over artificial intelligence, 5G networks, and semiconductor supply chains is reshaping global power asymmetries, digital sovereignty, and the legitimacy of major governance institutions. Grounded in realism and power transition theory, the study argues that technological rivalry has become a organizationral instrument of strategic competition between an established power seeking to preserve its leadership and a rising power seeking greater influence within the global system. Methodologically, the article employs qualitative document analysis of scholarly literature, policy documents, institutional reports, and trade-related materials. The findings show that U.S.–China contention is fragmenting digital governance, securitizing supply chains, weakening multilateral cooperation, and intensifying contestation within institutions such as the UN, WTO, and IMF. It further demonstrates that competing approaches to trade, human rights, and development finance are narrowing the policy space of smaller and developing states. The article concludes that managing this rivalry requires institutional reform, technological dialogue, and cooperative frameworks in non-zero-sum areas.

Keywords: U.S.–China rivalry; technological competition; digital sovereignty; global governance; semiconductor supply chains