In his commentary, Moon Jeong-in, an emeritus professor at Yonsei University, reflects on the current state of international relations, labeling the present time as an age of chaos characterized by the collapse of the old international order. He notes that while various theoretical frameworks for understanding global dynamics are emerging, including unipolar and multipolar systems, the true contours of a new order remain elusive. He references a recent article by Huang Hui, who draws an analogy between the post-World War II order and China's Spring and Autumn period, suggesting that the world is transitioning to a new 'Warring States' era reminiscent of the historical conflicts of ancient China.

Moon elaborates on Huang's perspective, which asserts that during the Spring and Autumn period, despite the waning authority of the Zhou dynasty, a semblance of order was maintained due to established hierarchies among the feudal states. The comparison draws upon the role of international institutions like the UN and economic frameworks established post-World War II in avoiding major conflicts among powers. However, as the international norms decay, the conditions are becoming increasingly akin to the 'Warring States' period where the authority dissipates, leading states to pursue their self-interests and engage in power struggles, significantly diverging from the cooperative frameworks of the past.

The article highlights Huang's classification of contemporary global powers into seven factions resembling the historical Seven Warring States, with the USA and China vying for dominance, European states hesitatingly positioned in the middle, and other nations like India, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Vietnam emerging as significant players. This analogy underscores the shift towards a more aggressive, self-serving international system, raising concerns about the erosion of multilateralism and the implications for global stability as alliances fracture under the pressures of national interests and geopolitical competition.