The global world order is changing at a rate not seen since the end of the Cold War, with new actors rapidly emerging, indicating that the US is rapidly losing control, Express.co reported.

“Major events have rocked the world over the last three years, from the global Covid pandemic to the outbreak of war in Ukraine, all of which are contributing to the changing face of world order. Furthermore, previous cold wars are warming up at an alarming rate, with the situation in the Indo-Pacific and the South China Sea being examples of a sprouting conflict between rival powers," the authors noted.

After the fall of the Iron Curtain and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US quickly filled the void to become the world's hegemonic power, destroying former spheres of influence and gaining a foothold in previously unknown countries under the guise of spreading democracy.

The power that Washington wielded quickly led to the US dollar retaining its position as the world's most accessible foreign currency and allowing the US to increase its lead over its rivals as the world's largest economy.

However, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has led to a shift in sentiment towards the United States and an increase in the number of aggressive non-state actors spreading terror both in the United States and around the world.

The rise and fall of U.S. President Donald Trump has also changed the approach that many rising powers have taken when it comes to the U.S., as several non-aligned countries have further estranged themselves from Washington, either through deliberate action or mistrust.

Today, the US still maintains its position as the world's largest economy and without a doubt the largest military, but experts say the winds of change are blowing as new rising powers seek to supplant those at the top.

China

Last month, FBI chief Christopher Wray and British security chief Ken McCallum issued an unprecedented warning that China was the West's biggest security threat.

Mr Wray said: “We consistently see that it’s the Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security, and by "our", I mean both of our nations, along with our allies in Europe and elsewhere.”

McCallum said MI5 is doing seven times more investigations into China than it did four years ago and plans to increase the number.

Moreover, China's economy is growing rapidly, and experts suggest that by 2024 it could become the world's largest economy.

The recent events in Hong Kong and the enactment of the Security Law may be the catalyst needed to draw a similar line in Taiwan.

Washington has long noted that it will support the island, but did not officially declare Taiwan an independent state due to fears of a diplomatic and even military reaction from Beijing.

Adding to the problem with Taiwan is China's ever-increasing presence in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific, with Beijing building bilateral ties with the island nations, forcing Washington to fight and do the same, albeit too late.

There is no doubt that China is the next world superpower and is likely to shake up the world by establishing a new bipolar world order not seen since the Cold War.

However, other rising powers could also tip the balance in several directions.

Russia

When the Soviet Union collapsed, the world quickly saw how quickly spheres of influence disappeared, leading to a rapid increase in intra-state conflict not seen for many years.

In the years since, there has been relatively little interaction between Moscow and Washington—at least compared to what it was during the Cold War—before Donald Trump came to power.

Trump began to question the need for NATO at some point, in part because of the money the US was paying compared to others. His reaction caused small member states to quickly reach for checkbooks and increase defense spending.

But everything changed when Vladimir Putin launched his separatist operation in Ukraine.

Once again, the status quo was upended as the world's leading power flexed its muscles while the US sat and watched.

Signs of a shift in priority and ability to lead emerged when the US refused to cross Putin's red lines and allow Ukraine to join NATO, a sign of weakness for some.

Since Article 5 requires the mutual protection of member states, it's easy to see why Washington wants to avoid conflict with a huge nuclear superpower like Russia.

However, hard power is not the only tool in the bargain, and it is odd that the US has failed to activate soft power in the form of diplomacy, another sign that Washington can no longer have the influence it once enjoyed.

Near East

The Middle East has long been a tinderbox between East and West.

Two wars in Iraq, ever-increasing tensions over the Iranian nuclear program, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, the war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and the ongoing security problems in the Persian Gulf, a major oil supply route, make the area highly unstable.

However, two countries have seen the US forced to downsize or leave the country entirely: Afghanistan has seen the US leave for good, and Iraq has seen the skeletal operations of US troops and officials.

Diplomacy has also suffered: Iran has become even more unreliable for the US after Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal known as the JCPOA, and Biden struggled to honor his promise to renew the deal.

Pakistan has also raised questions about US involvement, with ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan directly blaming Washington for his removal.

However, as the US continues to leave voids in the region, they are rapidly being filled again by emerging powers, and China's Belt and Road Initiative is a prime example of how economic promises - albeit with great interest in Beijing's favor - can open up many doors that have been slammed shut for the US.

President Xi's upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia next week will also cause US concern, as Beijing will no doubt keep an eye on oil supplies to the kingdom while offering to help finance the major modernization projects looming in Riyadh.

Financially, any deal between Saudi Arabia and China could see trade move away from the petrodollar as Beijing seeks to use its "digital yuan" to deprive the US of yet another grip on world power.

The question of whether change is inevitable remains a hotly debated issue, but global events have certainly been the catalyst for the disruption of the status quo.

In times of crisis, leadership is key to staying in power, and one could argue that Biden lacks the credibility and reputation that some of his predecessors enjoyed.

However, as they say, getting to the top is easy, holding on is the hard part. For Biden, his tenure may well be the peak of US power as new global rivals make their way to the top, either by force or coercion, but they all share the same goal.