Championing Global Governance Reform

As changes unseen in a century gather pace, today’s world is beset by frequent regional turbulence, sluggish economic growth, a rising backlash against globalization, and a lack of regulations and rule of law. The deepening governance deficit has left global governance at a crucial juncture, where we must either press ahead or face sliding backward. What kind of global governance system does the world need, and how should we reform and improve the current system? These questions have become pressing challenges of our time that the international community must tackle together.

At the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus” Meeting held in Tianjin on September 1, 2025, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), providing a detailed explanation of the principles, methods, and pathways for reforming and improving global governance. This proposal offers systematic answers to the key questions in global governance, such as who should govern, how, and for whom. It thus provides the thought leadership needed to forge broad consensus for global governance reform.

The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of both the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations (UN). Eight decades ago, the devastation of the two world wars spurred the international community to establish the UN, turning a new page in global governance. Over the past 80 years, the UN-centered international system, the international order grounded in international law, and the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, along with other global governance concepts and practices, have played a historic role in safeguarding world peace and development. Eight decades on, however, while the trends of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit remain unchanged, we still live in the lingering shadows of a Cold War mentality, hegemonism, and protectionism. Furthermore, the threats and challenges we face only continue to mount. Our world finds itself in a new period of turbulence and change, where the inadequacies and incongruities of the global governance system have never been more glaring. Against this backdrop, the need for the international community to strengthen and refine global governance has become all the more urgent. 

The current global governance system has the following drawbacks:

First, underrepresentation

Established in the post-WWII era under the dominance of Western developed countries, today’s global governance system features decision-making mechanisms and power structures that largely reflect Western interests and priorities. As such, it fails to adequately capture the aspirations and demands of the vast majority of nations. In recent years, the collective rise of emerging markets and developing countries has triggered a revolutionary shift in the international balance of power. Enhancing the representation of the Global South and redressing historical injustices have therefore become imperative. However, certain countries, intent on preserving their hegemony and selfish interests, have long hindered reform within the UN and its agencies. As a consequence, developing countries have gone for too long without adequate representation and voice in global affairs.

Second, eroded authority

One major country, operating under a misguided belief in “positions of strength” and the “me-first” approach, has pursued unilateralism, bullying tactics, and the law of the jungle while disregarding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. It has even gone so far as to withdraw from international organizations and agreements, cut off funding and supplies, obstruct the adoption of Security Council resolutions, and paralyze the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement system. These actions have severely impacted international rules and order, undermined the authority and efficacy of the UN and its agencies, and eroded the foundation of trust upon which multilateral cooperation depends.

Third, ineffective performance

The world today is facing more conflicts than at any time since the end of WWII. Meanwhile, over 800 million people remain trapped in poverty, global challenges like climate change have grown increasingly acute, and we lack adequate rules to govern new frontiers such as artificial intelligence, cyberspace, and outer space. Consequently, the task of global governance is becoming increasingly daunting and complex. Yet the operating efficiency and emergency response capacity of the current global governance system have failed to keep pace with the demands of the times, while the problems of deliberation without decision and decision without implementation have gone unresolved for too long. UN Secretary General António Guterres has bluntly stated that our world is in big trouble and gridlocked in colossal dysfunction, whereas the international community is not ready or willing to tackle the dramatic challenges of our time.

With the future of humanity in mind, President Xi has contemplated how to address the global governance deficit. Ten years ago, he introduced a groundbreaking vision of global governance through extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, infusing this field with fresh thinking and vitality. Across numerous pivotal international platforms—from the podium of the United Nations to the World Economic Forum, from G20 summits to APEC meetings, and from SCO gatherings to BRICS summits—he has championed multilateralism and put forward Chinese insights and solutions for global governance reform. The GGI proposed at the “SCO Plus” Meeting directly addresses the difficulties and pain points confronting global governance. Rich in substance and highly attuned to the issues of the day, the initiative is both well-targeted and forward-looking.

The core concepts of the GGI are as follows: upholding sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach, and remaining action-oriented.

Sovereign equality is the chief prerequisite of global governance. The inequality resulting from a few privileged countries monopolizing global governance must come to an end. All countries, regardless of their size, strength, or wealth, deserve to be equal participants, decision-makers, and beneficiaries in global governance. This means that developing countries should be better represented and have a greater say.

The international rule of law is the fundamental safeguard for global governance. Without international law formulated and observed by the global community, the world would revert to the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak. The fairness and stability of the international rule of law can only be ensured when international law and rules are applied in an equal and uniform manner to all countries, without double standards, and without a handful of countries imposing their own “house rules” on others.

Multilateralism is the basic path for global governance. Global governance is a shared undertaking of all countries; it affects every nation’s immediate interests and thus should be advanced through coordination and cooperation, not unilateralism or bullying. Yet some countries invoke multilateralism while practicing unilateralism in a vain attempt to bend international affairs to their own will. This serves only to drag global governance into chaos and disorder. Sound development is only possible if countries practice true multilateralism, replace confrontation with collaboration, and break down exclusive blocs by pursuing broad unity.

People-centeredness is the core value of global governance. The ultimate goal of global governance is to enhance the wellbeing of all humankind, ensuring everyone enjoys prosperity, security, and health. The global governance system cannot be a tool for a small number of countries to pursue their selfish interests. It should reflect the development aspirations of all peoples, better facilitate efforts to resolve common challenges, and effectively bridge the development divide, so that the gains of global governance benefit all people around the world more fairly.

Being action-oriented is an important principle of global governance. One solid action speaks louder than a dozen policy documents. The international community needs to step up and take action, orchestrating coordinated global efforts, fully mobilizing the resources of all sides, and taking concrete steps to deal with difficulties and challenges. In this way, we can demonstrate the value of global governance as we use it to resolve problems. 

These five core concepts are deeply rooted in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and reflect the common aspirations of the overwhelming majority of countries. They offer both value guidance and practical pathways for action. With each concept building on and mutually reinforcing the next, they constitute a systematic solution for creating a more just and equitable global governance system. 

The Global Governance Initiative is another important public good offered by China to the world, following the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilizations Initiative (GCI). The GDI focuses on promoting international development and cooperation, the GSI centers on encouraging dialogue and consultation to resolve international disputes, and the GCI aims at facilitating exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. The GGI, meanwhile, charts the direction, principles, and path for reforming the global governance system. These four initiatives, each with their respective priorities, work in harmony. Spanning the four dimensions of development, security, civilization, and governance, they can inject a greater sense of positivity into a turbulent and changing world and provide more powerful momentum for building a community with a shared future for humanity.

(Originally appeared in Qiushi Journal, Chinese edition, No. 18, 2025)