One of the key questions in international political economy is how the ascent of the People's Republic of China (PRC) will affect global economic governance. The rise of the PRC, the success of its new development model, and the attempts to replicate that model in regions, such as Africa, have fueled a new round of debates concerning the sustainability of the transatlantic norms, ideas, and institutions that have dominated global economic governance. As several regions are attempting to adopt aspects of the PRC's model, the success of China's development model represents a new force in defining the rules of the game. Using role theory, this study examines the PRC's self-described role as the "Champion of the Developing World" in global economic governance and uncovers how the PRC's new development model affects the PRC's current position within and outside the architecture of global economic governance.