On September 1, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) at the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus” meeting, calling for building a more just and equitable global governance system and working together for a community with a shared future for humanity.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. In this special historical year of taking stock of the past and envisioning the future, President Xi Jinping solemnly proposed the GGI, further contributing China’s wisdom and presenting China’s solution to strengthen and improve global governance.
The proposal of GGI by President Xi Jinping comes at the right time, for it shows the way forward and demonstrates China’s sense of responsibility as a major country. In today’s world with rising global challenges, many problems are no longer confined within a country’s borders, nor can many challenges be addressed by any single country alone. It has become an irreversible trend to strengthen global governance. With the rapid development of a large number of developing and emerging countries, the current global governance system is showing increasing inadaptation, hence fueling growing calls for its reform.
Certain countries have been wantonly pursuing unilateralism and bullying practices, seriously undermining the core concepts of global governance based on multilateralism and weakening the effectiveness of multilateral mechanisms including the UN. It has become a common aspiration of the vast majority of the international community to reform and improve the global governance. It is both timely and critical that China proposes the GGI at the moment.
President Xi Jinping clearly articulated the core concepts of the GGI, namely, adhere to sovereign equality, abide by international law, practice multilateralism, advocate the people-centered approach, and focus on taking real actions. These five concepts elucidate the principles, methods, and pathways that need to be followed to reform and improve global governance. Sovereign equality is the foremost premise of global governance. All countries, regardless of size, strength, or wealth, have the equal right to participate in international affairs.
The unequal situation in which a few countries monopolize global governance should no longer continue. International law is the fundamental safeguard for global governance. International law and international rules are common standards, which should be jointly formulated, maintained, and implemented by all countries, and there is no and should be no exception.
Multilateralism is the basic pathway of global governance. Global governance is a matter for all countries and concerns the vital interests of each country. It needs coordination and cooperation rather than unilateralism and bullying. The people-centered approach is the underpinning value of global governance. At its core, global governance is about turning people’s longing for a better life into reality and jointly building a world in which all can enjoy affluence and contentment.
Taking real actions is an important principle of global governance. The vitality of global governance comes from practice, with the key lying in action and the ultimate test in results. It is necessary to focus on both the present and the long term, and to address the practical issues concerned by all countries, especially the vast number of developing countries.
The GGI is another important global public good that China contributes to the world following the three major global initiatives, namely Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilisation Initiative. Each of the four global initiatives has its own focus, yet they are mutually reinforcing, injecting stability and certainty into the turbulent world from the dimensions of development, security, civilization, and governance, respectively as well as highlighting China’s sense of responsibility for and concrete actions in international affairs.
The GGI has been welcomed and supported by many countries since its debut. Facing a world of transformation and turbulence, China will continue to stand on the right side of history and human progress, stand on the side of multilateralism, advocate solidarity rather than division and promote cooperation rather than confrontation.
The Global South is the mainstay for reforming and improving global governance. Upholding sovereign equality is the foremost prerequisite for sound global governance. All countries, regardless of size, strength and wealth, are entitled to be equal participants, decision-makers and beneficiaries in global governance.
China’s proposal of the GGI does not mean to overturn the existing international order or to create another framework outside the current international system. Rather, the consideration behind is to respond to changes in the international landscape by calling for the rectification of unjust and improper arrangements in the current global governance system—an appeal that aligns with the fundamental interests of Global South countries, including Kenya.
China looks forward to undertaking exemplary cooperation with Kenya and other Global South countries in advancing the Global Governance Initiative and making active contributions to the enhancement of global governance.
The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya.
