The year 2049 marks both the centenary of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the scheduled completion of the ‘Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation’, which has been a core slogan of Xi Jinping's rule ever since he became General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in November 2012 and President of the PRC in March 2013. According to Xi, a ‘rejuvenated’ China will act as a ‘global leader in terms of composite national strength and international influence’ (Xi, 2017c). It is the declared aim of the Chinese government under Xi to make China pre-eminent in international affairs by no later than 2049. China has become and remains the world's largest trading partner, steadily increased its military budget, campaigned for more Chinese leadership positions at the United Nations (UN) specialized agencies, and built new international networks and connections through frameworks such as its massive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). All of this is occurring at the same time as the worldwide appeal of the current leading power, the United States, is dwindling, and the European Union (EU) – once perceived as a ‘model regional organization’ – seems to be slipping from one crisis to another. Considering these rather favourable conditions, China's ambition to become a global leader by 2049 is by no means illusionary. But what would an international order led by China look like and how is China seeking to shape international rules and norms? What role do its self-created intergovernmental organizations play in this context and to what extent is the Chinese government able to dictate the rules of these multilateral formats?