Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a world without nuclear weapons at the UN on Wednesday. He urged a multilateral system based on equality among nations large and small.

“Nuclear weapons should be completely prohibited and destroyed over time to make the world free of nuclear weapons“, Xi said.

China has been a nuclear power since 1964.

Some experts believe that Xi is trying to fill the gap in global leadership that Trump’s alleged US isolationism may leave behind.

Xi also appeared to be in favor of a global governance system. “We should reject dominance by just one or several countries”, Xi said, adding that “major powers should respect each other’s core interests. Big countries should treat smaller countries as equals instead of acting as a hegemon, imposing their will on others,” he further said. “Sovereign equality is the most important rule“, Xi continued.

However, China has reacted harshly against attempts to influence what it considers its internal domestic affairs, from concerns over human rights issues in Tibet to a democracy push in Hong Kong.