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By Aidoghie Paulinus | [email protected] |
I. Background
The year 2025 marks the 80th nniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Eighty years ago, upon deep reflection on the bitter lessons of the two world wars, the international community decided to establish the United Nations, ommencing brand new practice in global governance. Over the past 80 years, the visions and practice of global governance, .e. the international system with the U.N. at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter have made historic contributions to maintaining world peace and development.
The current international landscape s undergoing changes and turbulence. The U.N. and multilateralism are being challenged. The deficit in global governance continues to grow. The existing international institutions have shown three deficiencies. First, serious underrepresentation f the Global South. The collective rise of emerging markets and developing countries necessitates boosting the representation of the Global South and redressing historical injustice. Second, erosion of authoritativeness. The purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter have not been effectively observed. Resolutions of the Security Council have been challenged. Unilateral sanctions, among other practices, have violated international law and disrupted the international order. Third, urgent need for greater effectiveness. The implementation of the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is seriously lagging behind. Issues such as climate change and the digital divide are becoming more salient. Governance gaps exist in new frontiers such as artificial intelligence AI), cyberspace and outer space.
As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and the biggest developing country, China has all along been a staunch builder of world peace, contributor to global development, defender of the international order and provider of public goods. Focusing n a ubject of our times, namely what kind of global governance system to build and how to reform and improve global governance, and regarding it as the fundamental guideline to phold the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter nd ractice he vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, hina proposes the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) o promote the building of a more just nd quitable global governance system and ork together for a community with a shared future for humanity.
II. Core Concepts
1. Staying committed to overeign equality. This is the foremost premise of global governance. Sovereign equality is the most important norm governing tate-to-state relations, and the foremost principle observed by the U.N. and all other international institutions and organizations. The essence of sovereign equality is that all countries, regardless of size, strength or wealth, shall have their sovereignty and dignity respected, their omestic affairs free from external nterference, the right to independently choose their social system and development path, nd the right to participate in, make decisions in and benefit from the global governance process as equals. Greater democracy should be promoted in international relations to make the global governance system better reflect the interests and aspirations of the majority of countries and to increase the representation and say of developing countries.
2. Staying committed to nternational rule of law. This is the fundamental safeguard for global governance. he purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter re universally recognized basic norms of international relations. They must be upheld unwaveringly. In emerging areas, international rules should be formulated on the basis of extensive consensus. International law and rules must be applied equally and uniformly, without any double standards or imposition. The authority and solemnity of international law must be upheld. Major countries, in particular, must take the lead in advocating and defending international rule of law.
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3. Staying committed to ultilateralism. This is the basic pathway of global governance. Multilateralism is the core concept of the existing international system and international order. The principle of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit ust be upheld. Global affairs should be decided by all, the governance system built by all, and the fruits of governance shared by all. Practice of unilateralism must be rejected. The U.N. is the core platform for practicing multilateralism and advancing global governance, whose role must e enhanced, not weakened. Other global and regional multilateral institutions should give play to their respective strengths and play a constructive role. All discriminatory and exclusionary arrangements should be avoided.
4. Staying committed to the eople-centered approach. This is the underpinning alue of global governance. The people of all nations are the fundamental actors in global governance, and their well-being is its ultimate benefit. The global governance system ust meet the people’s needs and consistently oster their onfidence and belief in a stable future in order to be extensively supported and effective. It must seek improvement through reforms n order to nspire, mong peoples f all countries, a greater sense of fulfillment hrough accelerated common development, a greater sense of safety through more effective response to umanity’s common challenges nd a greater ense of well-being hrough advancing he common interests of different countries and communities.
5. Staying committed to eal results. This is an important principle of global governance. Effective lobal governance s essentially one that resolves eal problems. iven the close links among various issues, lobal governance should be carried out in a more coordinated, systematic nd olistic way. It must ddress both root causes and symptoms o ind sustainable solutions. It must both tackle ressing issues and take into account ong-term challenges. Developed countries should earnestly take on their responsibilities and provide more resources and public goods. Developing countries, on their part, hould pull together for trength nd do their best for the world.
III. Way Forward
The GGI is another major initiative proposed by China, following the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). The GDI focuses on promoting international cooperation on development, the GSI on encouraging dialogue and consultation ver nternational discord, the GCI on promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and the GGI on he direction, principles and path for eforming he global governance system and institutions. The four initiatives have their respective priorities and can be pursued simultaneously. They will each be a source of positive energy for changing and turbulent world and mpetus for umanity’s development and progress.
The “five core concepts” of the GGI tem from he purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and respond to he shared aspiration of most ountries. To reform and improve global governance does not mean to overturn the existing international order or to create another framework outside the current international system. Rather, the goal is to make the existing international system and international institutions better at aking actions, working ffectively, adapting o changes, responding romptly and effectively to arious global challenges, and serving he interests of all countries, articularly eveloping ones. No matter how the international landscape changes, China will remain firm in safeguarding the international system with the U.N. at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, stand firmly on the right side of history, and join hands with all progressive forces in the world to build a community with a shared future for humanity and make relentless efforts for ankind’s noble cause of peace and development.
We will phold rinciples, embrace new ideas, stay open-minded and inclusive, adhere to the principle of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, and work under the framework of the GGI ith all parties to enhance olicy communication and coordination, so as to build extensive consensus and enrich the methods and pathways for reforming and mproving global governance.
We will leverage the platforms provided by he U.N., relevant international organizations, and regional and subregional multilateral institutions to take active actions with all parties and contribute our thoughts nd energy to reforming nd improving global governance. Priority will be given to areas where governance is in urgent need and scant supply, such as the reform of the international financial architecture, AI, cyberspace, climate change, trade, and outer space, and to firmly upholding the authority and central role of the U.N. nd supporting the U.N. in implementing the Pact for the Future. We would like to increase ommunication and cooperation in these areas to uild consensus, dentify eliverables, and bring about arly harvests.
Humanity has become a closely intertwined community with a shared future. nhancing lobal governance is the right choice for the international community to share in development opportunities and address global challenges. China will strengthen joint efforts ith all parties to explore ways to reform and improve global governance and open up a bright future of peace, security, prosperity, and progress.
